Vampire Diaries Book 1 THE AWAKENING
by DarkAngel942
Summary: Cassie Gilbert is Elena's fun-loving, sweet sister. Elena DESPERATELY tries to keep the fact she has a sister away from Damon- as he'd use her as bait. But what happens when Damon and Cassie meet? And is Elena hiding her so that he can belong to HERSELF?
1. Awake

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries, but I own Cassie and her plotline which is obviously made up by me :-D**

**This idea has been in my head since I read Vampire Diaries, but I've never acted on it. But even though I'm busy with my other stories, I just couldn't wait any longer and started writing! For each book, there will be a new story. So this story starts from 'The Awakening'.**

**Please review!**

Cassie Gilbert was awoken by the sound of her sister's hairdryer.

Urgh, she never stopped waking her up with that thing! _Every_ morning- _vruuuuuh, vruuuuuh_. It was as if she was trying to win the National Hair-Dryer Olympics, and Cassie was her specimen to try out on. She placed a pillow on her face, trying to block out the noise- but it was impossible to ignore.

Her hands clasped the pillow and took it away from her face roughly, slamming it onto her stomach.

"Elena!" she wailed.

The hair-dryer clicked off, and even through the wall Cassie could hear Elena laugh at her.

"It's off!" she heard her sister yell through the wall.

Now fully awake, Cassie sat up in her bed and looked at her alarm clock. Damn you Elena- she scowled. She could have had_ twenty_ more minutes of sleep if it hadn't been for that blasted hairdryer.

She stood up, her pajamas freshly wrinkled. Thankfully there were no other boys in the family except Robert- who never came upstairs-, which was a good thing because her pajamas consisted of tiny shorts that exposed her legs, and a pink tank top. Only Elena saw her in the mornings, so she never thought to change before leaving her room.

Cassie shut her bedroom door after her, running her hand through her long blonde hair and sighing. Her long side fringe passed over her eyes all the time, so she had to continuously sweep it away.

She went straight into Elena's room, not even bothering to knock. It was their first day back at school from their long stay in France, and no matter how hard she covered it- Elena knew that Cassie was scared. She could always tell.

Elena was always telling Cassie off, mothering her slightly, and at school Elena was always calm and reserved- never the sister that Cassie had grown up with before the accident. After the death of their parents, it felt like Elena had turned ice cold inside, while Cassie's fire remained. But they got through it together, like they always did.

"Your hairdryer should be hanged," Cassie scowled, sitting herself down onto Elena's bed.

Elena smiled at her like she always did- Cassie always said the exact same thing every morning. Her elder- by _ten months_, she liked to point out to people!- sister was wearing a pale rose top and white shorts.

"We can't all have perfect hair like you, Cassie. Some actually have to blow it till it looks acceptable," she sighed regretfully, and walked over to Cassie- running her fingers through her hair.

"Whatever," Cassie said, blushing slightly. She had never been one for compliments, and just never believed them. She was just the girl that was random, funny, and just wasn't _scared_, all the time.

Elena- who was trying her best not to show it- looked worried about something, and Cassie got up from the bed and gave her elder sister a hug.

"We'll be okay today, won't we? It's only one day, then everything will be back to normal- as if we've never left," she said into Elena's hair.

"Of course we will," Elena said, hugging her back tightly. Then Cassie felt her stiffen up a little before saying, "I just can't seem to shake off the feeling that something bad is going to happen though."

"That's probably nerves. But, is there anything you're worried about? Homework you've forgotten? Stabbed someone and forgotten to bury them?" she giggled at the thought of someone like _Elena_ stabbing a person, but when she pulled back from her sisters arms- Elena didn't say anything and gave Cassie a worried frown.

"Oh god! Have you _stabbed_ someone?!" Cassie exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.

"No! You silly girl, I haven't stabbed someone! I'm just... no, you're probably right- it's just nerves," Elena smiled comfortingly at her, but Cassie could see in her eyes that she didn't believe it- and she had to wash and dress, otherwise she'd be late to school. Comforting thoughts would have to wait till school.

"I gotta go get ready, maybe some cute boys have joined the school since we were gone," Cassie smiled, walking toward the door.

"What about Justin?" Elena asked sadly, brushing her hair into a rose colored bow.

Cassie's smile faded, her hand on the doorknob.

"He cheated with _Caroline_, Ley-Ley," she said, the way she spoke voicing how heartbreaking the news had been to her. She used her old crappy childish nickname for Elena- it made her feel better somehow. Bonnie had called while they were in France, and while she hadn't wanted to ruin their holiday- that was what she'd ended up doing. Cassie had cried and cried the night she'd found out, but somehow... she had expected it somehow. Cassie had been a virgin, and still was, but Justin hadn't been- so his girlfriend who won't put out goes to France for a long time, he liked sex, so what guy _wouldn't_ have cheated?

But Cassie didn't blame herself. Elena wasn't a virgin, but at least she had respected herself and not blabbed it around the school like Caroline had probably did- and Cassie would find out_ that _today. There was no doubt that everyone would know. Caroline hated the Gilberts with a passion, mostly because she didn't get as much attention from men as they did. So she resorted to sleeping with Cassie's boyfriend, which was kind of a sad thing to do. Cassie was glad that she was still a virgin, she didn't feel like a slut. And no doubt if she_ had_ slept with Justin, she'd be feeling even worse now.

"Yeah, I know. Make sure she pays, but _don't_ do anything rash on the first day back Cass," Elena said.

Cassie wanted to protest, but she knew that Elena was right. Caroline deserved to pay, but not on the first day. Hehe, that rhymes- Cassie giggled in her mind. She had a temper that Elena didn't possess. Elena had such a cold facade, which numbed her temper- but Cassie's... well...

Cassie just smiled, and left her sister to get in the shower for school.

As the hot water calmed the muscles in her back, Cassie ran her hands through her hair- thinking about what she was going to do when Justin appeared. Caroline would be laughing at her, and no doubt talking about it all day- but Cassie simply _would not_ let the whore get to her.

Today was about getting back to the school routine, meeting friends, shooing boys off when they stared- which Cassie still didn't understand. She and Elena looked similar, but there wasn't a striking resemblance. For instance, Elena had violet colored eyes, while Cassie's were a deep brown. Elena had pale skin, but Cassie had a hint of tan in her skin tone- but not much.

"I'm leaving now!" Elena's voice came from the door, startling Cassie out of her daydream/reverie.

"Er, I'll meet you there!" she called out, wringing the ends of her hair of water. She didn't want to rush to school, and anyway, a hot shower would calm her nerves.

Cassie clicked the shower off, grabbing a towel from the cabinet next to the bath. She wrapped it around herself and jumped out of the shower and into her room again. Blow-drying her hair never held much excitement or use for her, so she just towel-dried it and left it be. It only took about ten minutes to dry after that, and when that time passed, she'd be down at breakfast. But she was already running late...

Oh god- Cassie thought to herself.

_I'm gonna have to use the hair-dryer from hell. _

Oh, god, how do I turn this thing on?- she thought, panicked, as she held the device in her right hand while brushing through her hair with the other.

At last, the hair-dryer started working, and when Cassie had finished drying, she ran her hand through it. Wow, it's even_ silkier_- she thought, surprised. Her hair had always been like silk, and now it was even _better_?

Cassie threw on her tiny denim shorts and the silver sandals she had gotten from Paris, then a white top that covered up her cleavage. Elena was slender, and while Cassie was too in a slightly smaller frame- she was curvier in all the right places. Slightly bigger boobs, flat perfectly-toned stomach, and gorgeous hips. A man's dream- both girls were.

She quickly grabbed her bag and ran straight out the door without saying a word to Aunt Judith or Margaret- but they wouldn't have minded. Cassie was known for being 'the late and slightly wild one'.

She walked down the path, and set off in the direction of the school, the strap of her bag digging into her shoulder like a problem that just wouldn't go away.

Robert E. Lee High School was waiting...


	2. Fear

Oh _great_- Cassie thought as she walked toward the group of students swarming around her sister. Elena was obviously still the Queen Bee by far, but she looked slightly awkward amongst the crowd. Settling in would be a difficult thing for Elena, Cassie could tell- as so much had changed in their lives. Paris had been wonderful, but it felt as if they were being thrown back into the real world with the school substituting an ice cold bucket of water. Elena was always the one to be selfish- without usually knowing it- and that sometimes aggravated her younger sister, but Cassie was still happy that Elena would be okay.

Even from a far distance, she noticed that Elena was giving Caroline to cold shoulder. Cassie nearly laughed out loud when she saw the look that she was giving Elena-_ green_ with jealousy! And what in the name of the Lord was she wearing? _Way_ too much skin on show, and her heels were way to high to be worn to school! She looked like the high-class hooker that Cassie had imagined her to be.

Elena's eyes met Cassie's over the heads of the excited teenagers, and Cassie saw smile at her, then turn back to her friends. Elena was basking in the limelight, working the crowd like a Queen- regardless of how her sister was feeling- but Cassie knew that she and Elena were still close, no matter how Elena was around school.

She walked into the busying halls of Robert E. Lee's, her gaze darting everywhere. Her friends should be here by now...

"Cassie!" someone yelled from behind her as she felt someone seize her. Strong arms lifted her up and swirled her around. She yelped, not knowing who it was, and tried to fight the arms wrapped around her. The guy holding her laughed- and she recognized the rough, smooth voice... Her feet found the ground again, and when she turned round- it was to jump back _in_ the arms again.

"Braxxie!" she exclaimed, and the arms tightened around her again- hugging her tightly to the guy's muscly torso.

Cassie and Braxton had been best friends since he threw sand at her in kindergarten, and after she had screeched the building down- he apologized and gave her a sympathy muffin. Then_ that _led to lunch together everyday, playdates after school and throwing popcorn at Elena together- which was still fun at any age.

Braxton laughed at her and gave her a sweet kiss on the nose. Of all the people in Fell's Church, she had missed her Braxie the most. Guy-girl relationships were very uncommon, and until Braxton revealed to the whole school that he was gay a year and a half ago- they had been accused of being a couple.

"You look stunning," Braxton smiled so widely at her that it looked like it hurt. It's a pity he's gay- Cassie thought sadly, for the other girls not herself! She'd known him too long to think of him in that way, but Braxton was a pretty darn sexy guy. His dark hair was slightly spiked, but was as soft as feathers when actually touched. Match that with a cheeky grin, big blue eyes, and one hell of a sexy body and you've got a woman's- oh, and a _man's_- dream boy.

"You look even prettier, pumpkin," she smiled sweetly up at him- he was about a head taller- and noticed that she had made him blush! His adorable eyes averted to the floor, desperate for Cassie not to see- but she had.

"You look so _cute_ when you blush!" she jumped up and down in excitement before kissing his cheek. A guy was pinning up a poster for the Winter Dance against the noticeboard, and she walked over to take a look.

So she didn't notice Braxton reach up and touch his cheek lightly where she'd kissed him.

"You going to this?" Cassie smiled over her shoulder at him as she tapped the poster with a finger.

"I will if you will," he said cheekily to her, moving up beside her and placing his left arm around her shoulders.

"I might," Cassie smiled up at him as he led her away from the noticeboard and down the cluttered hall. Cheerleaders were giving her evil looks from all ends of the room, and jocks were whistling at her- smirking with their eyes intent on her as if she were their prey. Honestly, they had _seen_ a girl before hadn't they?

The Gilbert sisters were known as the 'hottie family' throughout the school. Both were contained in the dreams of every boy in the school, but, unlike Elena, Cassie didn't know exactly what power she possessed over boys. She was usually sweet to the people she knew, or had just met- but others, like Tyler Smallwood, she had a temper that she just couldn't control. But when it came to power, she didn't believe that she was different from anyone else- making her wary as to why the people, especially girls, around her were so quick to judge. They didn't_ know_ her.

Walking up to her locker, Cassie noticed that there was a new boy in the school. Further up the crowded corridor, Cassie could see Elena ogling the new boy's ass- and not entirely discreetly either! She dug Braxton in the hip, making him jump slightly in shock. Smirking at him, she tilted her head in Elena's direction- and he laughed. Whenever there was a hot boy at school, Elena had to have him- all the time. She didn't even care about who it would hurt, or how she ignored her friends, but as long as she go the boy- she'd feel wonderful about herself.

It made Cassie feel bitter sometimes, as although she had lots of friends- she believed that they should always be respected. And to top it all off- when Elena was after a boy, nothing else would matter to her: she'd forget about what was going on in anyone else's world. It was as if she was the sun, and everyone orbited around her like dedicated little playmates. Honestly...

Cassie had never experienced any extreme cases of the Elena Pursues Boy Syndrome, but she realized that she might just this time... From the way her sister was staring at the boy like a piece of sexy meat, this one would be the next in a long line.

"I gotta go. I'll see you later, munchkin," Braxton said regretfully, then smiled when he said the horrid nickname. His lips returned once again to her nose in a kiss, and she giggled as he walked away.

A smile was still on her mouth as she turned back to her open locker, taking folders out and putting several back in. Well, this is going okay so far- she thought happily to herself: Nobody had smacked her ass yet, which was good because she didn't particularly want to punch someone on the first day, but she would if she had to.

"Cassie," a voice croaked behind her, in unison with a tap on her shoulder.

Oh god, Cassie thought, nearly trembling, her hand frozen in the act of taking a folder out.

_Justin._


	3. Savior

"Cassie... please," she heard him croak.

The bell rang for the first lesson, and horribly- out of the corner of her eye- Cassie spotted Elena leave with Meredith and Bonnie. Oh god- she thought desperately- don't leave me on my own with him!

Cassie couldn't turn round- her neck just wouldn't move. She'd known that she would have to face Justin, but not this soon. Her head had just managed to get round the fear of going to school, and that problem had faded from her mind. But how on Earth could she handle Justin? Oh, god!

The feelings racing through her body were all new to her. He'd probably told every one of his friends how good Caroline was in bed, and there would be Cassie- bearing the brunt of it each day for, well, the rest of her school life probably. Only Elena and Cassie's friends would understand what _really_ happened- that Justin had been such a coward to cheat on her while she had been in France. He'd probably _waited_ for her to leave before sleeping with Caroline- which caused her the most anger.

Her head started turning slowly, afraid of what she would see. His handsome face would only upset her, and it was her _first day_- it had been going so well! _Why_ did he have to sleep with Caroline? _Why? _

Cassie's heart was beating so hard. Why couldn't she just run and leave him?

_Because you need to face Justin sometime_- her mind threw at her cruelly.

Her eyes finally locked on his face, drawn up from where they had looked distractedly downwards. Justin's eyes were focused on hers, and he looked like crap: baggy eyed, messy hair, pale skin- the works. The first things she had noticed about him when they first met was his gorgeous blonde hair, firm and muscly physique, but the first thing that had really caught her attention were his bright blue eyes. And right then, those eyes were firmly locked on hers- resembling a puppy dog.

She had taken a deep breath in, ready to scream, yell, cry, _anything_- when he spoke first.

"Cassie, I...I was-" he stuttered, looking at her pleadingly.

"Drunk? You must have been to sleep with Caroline. Or do I just not do it for you?" Cassie hissed at him.

"NO!"

Cassie stared at him in disbelief, and was ready to scream at him when he said:

"No, no! I mean, I didn't mean that! I mean it's not that you don't do it for me! Look, Cassie, you're the most gorgeous girl in the school and I... I really... Caroline got me really drunk that night," he pleaded with her, stuttering so much it was hard to make out what he was saying.

But Cassie didn't fault. Before she had left for France, their relationship was amazing. Justin hadn't pushed her, like she'd half-expected him to, and he hadn't even looked at another girl- that she had seen, anyway. Maybe Caroline hadn't even been the first... and at that thought, Cassie wanted to cry the tears that were trying their best to break through from her eyes.

"Have there been other girls?" she whispered, trying her best to keep the tears back.

"No! Of course not! I don't know what I was thinking, I really don't," he began- but Cassie didn't want to listen to his pathetic excuses, not to mention the fact that he was making her late for her first class.

"I've got to go, Justin. There's no point in listening to you anyway," she said, and turned round to slam her locker door shut before stepping away from him.

"You can't leave, we need to sort this out," Justin exclaimed, stepping in her way. His eyes were glassy, and Cassie began to get scared when she noticed how his body was postured- as if he were preparing for a long fight.

"I need to go!" she said, trying not to show how scared she was, but her voice betrayed her. Justin had never used that tone with her, and he had never been so forceful at her to stay with him. Her heartbeat accelerated as she saw the look on his face- there was no more pleading, only anger and determination.

"You need to stay. We can sort something out," he said, stopping her in her tracks when she tried once again to get past him.

"Justin, get out of my way!" Cassie cried, but when she moved again his arm shot out and caught her by the shoulder.

Oh, God, what am I going to do?- she thought, terrified. If only Braxxie hadn't left so quickly, then his presence would have warned Justin off, and she would be safe. Her mind couldn't think about anything but Justin's hand on her, and how it was beginning to hurt.

"Justin! Let go!" she cried, and struggled against him- but that only made his grip tighten. Cassie tried her best to think of ways she could get away from him, but her mind had gone blank with shock and fear. It was as if a black cloud had suddenly covered her mind like a blanket, and through it, all she could see was Justin's angry face.

His other hand lifted up and gripped her other shoulder, forcing her into even more pain. She gasped, his fingers felt like metal against her skin, and she could feel her bones start to throb so painfully that she started to feel faint.

"What's going on here?" a smooth male voice asked.

Justin's eyes averted from hers, and looked over at the boy who had spoken. He was standing behind her, and Cassie felt even more despair and fear because the boy couldn't see her face- how much pain she was in. If Justin managed to convince him that everything was fine and they were just having a 'little talk', then Cassie would be on her own with him again- and who knew what he would do to her. Drag her off and beat her?

Cassie realized that tears were running down her face, from the pain and the horror that she might not be saved from Justin by this boy. He might not care enough to even _do_ anything if he _did_ notice the way that Justin was harming her.

She felt so weak, and a little light-headed from forgetting to breathe due to the shock. Women were weaker than men, everyone knew that- and now here she was, being practically beaten by her ex-boyfriend in her _own school_. And no-one was coming to her rescue, apart from the boy behind her who probably had no idea that she was in pain. Cassie's shoulders were aching so much now that the words formed in her head to ask for help somehow couldn't find their way out of her lips, and even if her mouth could move her fear stopped her from saying anything.

"Yes, everything's fine," Justin answered coolly, looking over her shoulder to glare at the boy.

The boy moved closer to them until he was standing right in front of them.

"She doesn't look fine," the boy answered just as coolly. Cassie's eyes managed to tear themselves away from where they had stared at Justin with a terrified expression, and as she looked at the boy- Cassie recognized him as the new guy. "I think it's best that you let go of her."

"And I think _you_ should mind your own business," Justin snarled, but then his eyes turned glassy as they looked at the new guy- who was looking deep into Justin's eyes, but not in a romantic way. It was in a manner that made Cassie shudder through her fear for an unknown reason.

The hands grasping her shoulders loosened, and Cassie immediately stepped back and sighed in the best relief she'd ever felt. The pain dulled, but she could feel the beginnings of painful bruises form.

Justin stepped back, somehow dreamily, and with a confused and angry expression on his face- he turned around and disappeared down the hall.

Cassie turned around to face the boy, breathing slightly heavily- but in relief and gratitude.

"Thank you _so much_," she sighed, too grateful for words. If this guy hadn't have come along, Justin could have been doing _anything_ with her for as long as he wanted- and that thought petrified her to death.

"You're welcome," the guy smiled at her, exposing perfect white teeth. Now that Justin was gone and she was safe, she finally got a look at the boy- and wow...

His dark wavy hair made a complete contrast with his pale skin. And his _eyes_... they were like a models eyes. Big and green, with beautiful long lashes that would make _any_ girl go weak at the knees. His body was perfect, from what she could see, but sadly it was completely covered with not much skin showing.

"Do you know your way to your first class? It's quite a big school," she nodded toward what looked like a schedule in his hand.

"Yes, I do, thank you. Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he looked slightly worried for her.

Cassie found it strange that he was so polite- guys just... weren't nowadays. His voice had a trace of a European accent, however she couldn't pinpoint where it was from. But then she noticed that the tears on her eyes hadn't dried yet, and she quickly swiped them away with the back of her hand.

"Oh yes, I'll be fine," she said, managing a smile for him.

He gave her a kind smile in reply, then said his goodbyes before setting off down the hall.

When his dark head was out of sight, Cassie closed her eyes and tilted her head back against her locker. She felt strangely... calm, but she knew that that wasn't normal and that the shock of Justin's anger and violence must be starting to affect her.

Cassie looked down at her watch, and noticed that she was shaking slightly. Making her breathing become steady and easy, she closed her eyes and breathed through her mouth calmly- like you were supposed to do. Luckily, she felt a little better, but then she saw that her first lesson was twenty minutes through, and a guaranteed detention would be waiting for her the second she walked through the door. It would just have to wait, and besides- she was still in shock and didn't fancy a teacher yelling at her.


	4. Normal

The bell rang for her next lesson, and Cassie gratefully walked up the stairs toward her second class, General Business. The past thirty minutes had been spent lurking through the library, keeping a careful eye out for the librarian. With no library pass, the old woman behind the counter would screech at her for 'irresponsible behavior', and Cassie hated the thought of those window-pane-like glasses glaring up at her as if she were Satan. Come on, it's a library isn't it?

But even so, Cassie had to keep ducking underneath the safety of the Science books- her eyes fixed on the old woman that was passing nearby. She never hid from anyone- Cassie usually just faced what was coming to her. But after what just happened with Justin... she didn't feel like handling another person shouting out her- making her feel bad. Having a few minutes of quiet time was what she wanted.

But as Cassie had looked out of the window, her eyes following the blackbirds flying around, she thought of the boy that had saved her. He'd looked so... out of place. Lonely. Sad. Was there something he was hiding? His green eyes had looked sad, but with a slight twinkle in them still as he had saved her from Justin. It felt, to her, that he had brightened _because_ he had saved her. Perhaps he thought little of himself, and he had proved himself wrong...

Oh shut up, Cassie- she thought to herself, shaking her head and running a hand through her blonde hair. He's _new_, he could be anyone, and now she was judging him by the first glance? _Elena _did that, not her.

But somehow, her mind couldn't stop thinking about what the boy had been like, and what his name was- he'd never mentioned.

It had been peaceful up there- watching all the birds fly around and the breeze make the trees sway side to side. But now, Cassie was among the roaring students of Robert E. Lee High School, and she sighed in gloom. Great, the rest of the day awaited her, and how wonderful was it going to be? None. Zilch. Complete and utter crap. The start had gone horribly wrong, so why shouldn't the afternoon follow suite?

Her timetable said she had General Business for second period, and she tried her best to get there quickly. The only way that she was going to sit next to people that she _knew,_ was if she got a move on.

The classroom was basically empty when Cassie entered, but as soon as she stepped in the room, the blonde head of Elena immediately caught her attention. Her elder sister had her head turned away from the door, talking to the girl behind her, but Elena turned around to see who had entered just as Cassie was walking up to her.

Hmmm, is that a glimmer of hopefulness I see in her eyes- Cassie thought, amused and interested when the glimmer faded when their eyes met. But even still, Elena looked pleased to see her... and rather angry.

"Where the hell were you?! You were meant to be in my Trig class!" Elena glared at her, pointing the accusing finger that Cassie was long used to. Elena was the older sister, but sometimes she played mother a little too much.

"I'll tell you later," Cassie rolled her eyes, and knocked the finger away so that she could sit down next to her sister.

The classroom was soon packed with arguing students, and Cassie looked at them all- hoping to see the new boy so that she could thank him again. The image of seeing Justin like that was still imprinted in her mind, as was the shock and horror. She'd never been treated like that before by him, and it had scared her to death.

Thankfully, Justin wasn't in their General Business class, but disappointingly- neither was the new guy.

Elena looked rather glum through the entire lesson, and Cassie could tell that it wasn't just because of the excessively boring teacher's ranting, but something else that was bothering her. She never spoke much to Cassie, but even that hadn't stopped her from smiling when her sister received a telling off from the teacher. Hmph, some things just stay the same- Cassie thought to herself.

The bell rang again, and Cassie found herself tossed back into the world of yelling and laughing when she and Elena exited the dull classroom. Even Cassie's _pencil_ had started to look interesting- it had been _that_ bad in General Business.

"I'll see you later," Elena said sadly, then flounced off in the other direction from Cassie.

Why is she so sad?- the youngest Gilbert thought as she walked down the noisy corridors with her head down, thinking excessively. Elena was always the Queen Bee, popular girl in the school- so what's with the glumness? The only thing Cassie could think of that could make Elena so upset, was what her sister was amazing at: getting boys. So maybe... no, that couldn't be right, could it? Elena? The only boy that she couldn't have was... the new boy! So was Elena after him? But then Cassie mentally scolded herself, shaking her head in her own stupidity. Of _course_ Elena would be after him: he was too darn sexy to ignore. She'd seen the way Elena had been eyeing up the guy, and obviously he was her new personal challenge. But... it wouldn't be easy.

When Cassie had met him earlier that morning, he hadn't exactly felt... normal. Well, it was as if_ he_ thought he wasn't normal, and tried to shun anyone getting close to him.

This would be a challenge that Elena had never faced before.

Cassie looked down at the timetable in her pocket, and saw that Biology was next on the list. As the room was so far away, she was forced to walk quickly: the worst thing on the first day was to arrive late for _any_ class. The boys in the corridors she passed through stared and gaped at her, and Cassie somehow- magically- managed not to blush. They _always_ looked at her like that, exactly the same as they stared at Elena, and unlike her sister Cassie didn't take it in too much. She could have any boy she liked, and somehow they were always practically in _love_ with her.

The classroom was right in front of her, and Cassie swiftly walked in, trying her ultimate best to be discreet. The stares of all the boys in the class were annoying, so she had to always enter a room quietly- without making too much noise.

But even then, Cassie felt the stares of the gaping boys on her as she quickly made her way over to Bonnie's desk- sitting down beside her. Elena, Bonnie, and Meredith had been friends since kindergarten- and along with that, of course, came Cassie.

"Hey," Bonnie smiled at her, and Cassie smiled back- looking slightly giddy.

"What's wrong?"  
"Elena's after the new guy, isn't she?" Cassie giggled. The thought of Elena actually having to _work_ for a boy was suddenly highly amusing.

"Yes, she is," Bonnie said, trying hard not to laugh. "It's a strange thought, isn't it? Elena having to actually flirt for once!"

Cassie suddenly erupted in a fit of giggles, causing several boys to look up from their 'manly conversation' and gawp at her. Her smile seemed to captivate boys further, as she had such gorgeous teeth. Even in kindergarten, her smile had been voted the 'Little Miss Teeth' winner, making Elena jealous.

The classroom door creaked open again, sliding against the floor with a smooth sound- and Cassie and Bonnie both looked up simultaneously. Bonnie had joined in with the giggles, and had turned a deep shade of red- but now, she turned _scarlet_ as soon as she laid eyes on guy in the doorway.

Oh _god_, Cassie thought, as she glimpsed the green eyes and dark wavy hair she'd been hoping to find since the morning: it was the new guy!


	5. Green

Cassie stared for a second, and found that she had forgotten the gorgeousness of the guy: his green eyes were covered by sunglasses, but his physique seemed more... er, _defined_. However, what struck her the most, was how she felt when he walked in the classroom- _little_. Not necessarily little in form- although she was a little smaller than Elena. No, it wasn't that... it was, morally? He was different anyway, but she couldn't put her finger on _what_ made him different...

Bonnie was gawping at him, and when Cassie turned around and spotted this, she dug her elbow into the other girl's ribs. The last thing the guy probably wanted was to feel uncomfortable, and the stares were obviously not doing anything good for him. And besides, he was just a new guy, right? No big deal.

But Cassie couldn't shake the feeling that there was something different about him... and maybe not good different either.

His footsteps seemed to thud slightly as he walked into the room, bypassing round the desks with graceful movements. He came to a stop in front of Cassie and Bonnie's desk, swiveling himself into one of the empty seats. But before his butt- a rather gorgeous butt, at that- even met the chair, his eyes had met Cassie's behind the expensive-looking sunglasses.

"Oh, hello again," he said politely, smiling.

"Hello," Cassie smiled happily. " Before the teacher starts yapping on, I want to thank you again."

"You don't have to," the guy said, looking rather embarrassed. Hmm, not used to being thanked?- Cassie wondered. Maybe this guy would be good for Elena... but she didn't want to dwell on that fact- Elena still had Matt! And he was the most amazing boyfriend to ever have been in her sister's long line of conquests- any girl would_ love_ a boyfriend like Matt.

Cassie felt a wave of anger come from within her, but not at the new guy: at her _sister_. Elena could be so selfish sometimes, never thinking about anyone except herself. Matt was sweet, funny, and not exactly the brightest tool in the box- but who was these days? Elena had _no_ right to chuck him away like a bag of cold sick... unless she was going to two-time him?! Cassie loved her sister, but no _way_ was she going to allow Matt to be hurt like that: he was like a brother to her, and the best boyfriend Elena had ever had.

But even so, Cassie wanted to thank this guy again- even if he might destroy her sister's current relationship, but he didn't know that.

Yet.

He had saved her from Justin though, and if he hadn't then Cassie would've been raped or attacked- and even more horrifying ideas that Justin could think of: she had practically _felt_ him planning those things.

"No, really, I do," Cassie said, not taking no for an answer. She could sense that Bonnie was confused, wondering what on earth they were talking about- but hopefully her questions would wait for later.

"Well, you're welcome," the boys replied- trying his best to stop blushing, but without success. His courtesy surprised Cassie- any other guy would be basking in the glory, but not him...

"I'm Cassie, by the way," she told him. He seemed so nice, and she all knew all too well that moving to a new school was difficult and scary- and, okay, he didn't look scared. But it's not really something you want to party over is it?

"Stefan," his smooth voice said, smiling at her. Many of the girls in the class were ogling him once again, and unfortunately- Caroline was one of them. Just the sight of her green eyes made Cassie want to be sick- _knowing_ that she had slept with her boyfriend. But Justin didn't deserve to be fought over, and if he wanted HIV from Caroline, then he could damn well get it.

But even though those were her feelings, the hurt just still wouldn't go away. Justin _slept_ with her worst enemy, and even though he wasn't worth thinking about after what he did to her in the corridor, the betrayal was still fresh in her mind. Cassie had _never_ been cheated on before, and the pain was more than she had ever expected.

"Nice name," she said honestly. Stefan, Ste-fan. Hmm, sounded good compared to the other boys here. They were all the same- only interested in what color of bra you're wearing, and never had any interesting facts about them. Except Braxton of course... and this guy apparently, but that remained to be seen. Maybe he _was_ thinking about her bra color...

The teacher entered the room at that specific moment, and the new guy- Stefan- turned around to face the board, which Cassie was strangely thankful for. Being suspicious about Stefan wasn't going to help her feel more comfortable around him- or men in general.

The teacher's shrilly voice pulled Cassie out of her thoughts. The old woman started handing out textbooks, screeching at them to turn to page 103. Christ, she was gonna be a tough teacher, especially for Cassie- who had a certain, er, _habit_ of getting into trouble.

Cassie's eyes followed the tiny, straw-like haired teacher around the room, conscious of the phone that was hidden in her pocket. If the teacher noticed it, a detention was surely waiting for her, and staying back at the end of the day was something she did not want to do. She, Braxxie, and a few other friends were meeting up in the posh cafe at the end of her street. The thought of the hot chocolate there was getting her through the day, anticipation as hot in her mind as the chocolate was.

But as her eyes followed the little old woman, Cassie spotted Bonnie staring at her open-mouthed.

"Trying to catch flies? I think you'll need a little bit of food in there to make it work," she asked, smirking.

"Tell me everything later," Bonnie said faintly. "And Elena will want to know," she added under her breath.

Cassie sighed.

Of course Elena would want to know. When she was after a boy, Elena was like a predator- except she didn't have to work so hard. But now, with this boy, it seemed like he was going to be a challenge. Stefan didn't seem like an entirely _normal_ guy...

The next forty or so minutes were taken up by screeching, biology work, and Bonnie dropping her textbook and finding a spider underneath it. Honestly... that girl could really screech- Cassie thought. But she had learned something out of the class, although it wasn't Biology. Stefan's last name was 'Salvatore', and he was boarding at Mrs. Flowers old place on the other side of town- as found out by the screeching woman at the front of the room. The teacher had given Bonnie detention for 'disruptive behavior', and straight away when they walked out the class, Bonnie was complaining and moaning.

"I mean, honestly! How was I meant to know that there was a spider underneath that textbook? And anyone would have screamed!" Bonnie said furiously, her knuckles turning white where she clutched her textbook against her chest. She was shocked to have gotten a detention, it was her first one- and for a spider! Just one, measly spider had caused her to waste thirty minutes of her life!

Cassie didn't particularly see why Bonnie was so upset, but then again, she herself had gotten so used to detentions that they didn't seem like a punishment anymore- just a nuisance.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie spotted Caroline 'accidently' drop her books in front of Stefan. And what did he do? Picked them up! Cassie would have stamped on them, then asked Bonnie's dog to have a nice, long whizz on them to put the icing on top of the disgusting cake.

Instead of thinking about the bitch in the doorway, Cassie concentrated on the angry redhead before her.

"Be _calm_ Bonnie. It's only for half an hour. Now, next class?" she batted her eyelashes at Bonnie, who was looking slightly murderous. But her bad mood was slightly broken as she said:

"You can be so much like Elena, you know."  
"But a much sweeter version," Cassie said happily. "I'll see you at lunch. Hopefully no more spiders attack you until then."

Bonnie scowled at her, and Cassie turned with a smile on her face.

Only to be met by Caroline's cold, green eyes in her face.

**Thank you so much for all the reviews! I don't think this chapter was that good, but I promise the next one will be better. :-D**


	6. Shock

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! But keep them coming! :-D I've decided to make it even more like the book, and add a bit of Elena's point of view in, along with everyone else's. That way it's not focusing on Cassie, cause in my head, Cassie is in the _books_ and not in her own little world when it's only her POV.**

**And don't worry, Damon is coming. But I'm not gonna tell you anything about it! :-D**

As Cassie's eyes met Caroline's, the shock in her mind refrained her from speaking. But, even when so surprised, she couldn't help but notice that Caroline had spots that were just _barely_ covered with make-up... didn't look too attractive. Obviously the green-eyed bitch thought she was the Queen of the school, and she had slept with Justin merely for her own enjoyment to hurt Cassie, not to mention to prove that she loathed the Gilberts.

The clothes she was wearing could barely be justified as 'clothes'- a top that barely covered her cleavage, and shorts that displayed half her butt to the world. Caroline seemed to think that showing off the most skin would get her more attention that Cassie and Elena from boys, but obviously had no success if she had to sleep with_ Justin_...

But even though just the mere sight of Caroline made Cassie want to be sick, she didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing Cassie hurt: that had been what Caroline was after in the first place. Even though it would be hard pretending not to care, it was the best thing that she could do.

"Hey Caroline, you're in my way," she smiled at her, gesturing with her free hand- the other was gripping the strap of her bag to her shoulder. After all, the bag strap was the only way she could relieve her stress at that moment, wasn't it?

The look on Caroline's face was absolutely_ priceless_. Just looking at that confused, twisted-in-confusion face made her want to burst out in laughter. Caroline's face was contorted in confusion, and anger- anger at Cassie not hitting the roof.

She could feel Bonnie's confused and shocked eyes on her face, trying to read for any signs of insanity. Bonnie didn't understand what was wrong with Cassie; she was normally so fiery. Elena was cold, while Cassie... yelled and kicked off. She found ways of getting back at the people who hurt her, and they were sometimes funny, and sometimes _cruel_. But she could be cold, it depended on how hurt she was. However, this time, Cassie hadn't been too shocked when Justin had cheated, so perhaps Caroline would get away unscathed, well, virtually? Bonnie hoped so. Even though Caroline was a bit of a cow these days, she had been friends with them since kindergarten, and that meant something to Bonnie.

Caroline's new minions were standing behind her, but they looked uncomfortable- as if someone was poking them from behind. Cassie was saddened to see that they were also people that she knew, who she thought were her friends, but the fact that they looked so uncomfortable helped her feelings slightly.

The green-eyed monster was too confused and shocked by Cassie's reaction to do anything other than turn slowly and let her and Bonnie pass.

Cassie beamed at Caroline as she pulled her bag up tighter around her shoulder, then walked past her gracefully, Bonnie following her.

"I can't believe you just did that," Bonnie giggled, her eyes still showing traces of shock and admiration for Cassie keeping her cool.

"I didn't want to give her the satisfaction."

The lessons before lunch passed quickly, mostly due to the fact that Braxton was in the rest of them and she laughed with him till their lungs got sore. Time past quicker when she was with her friends, obviously, and if Braxton hadn't have been in some of her classes, Cassie would have suffered from extreme boredom for the rest of the day.

At lunch, Cassie waved to Elena from where her sister sat with Bonnie, Meredith, and some other girl who Cassie had never talked to in her life. Braxton's blue eyes watched Cassie carefully as she walked over to their table, cautious of her mood. Bonnie had told then, she thought as she plonked herself down on a seat next to Braxxie. He would have found out eventually about Cassie's confrontation with Caroline in the corridor, but seriously, had it been essential for him to know just now? He wouldn't stop going on about it for the whole day, she knew.

"How are you?" his voice was suspicious, kind, and worried all at the same time. Those big blue eyes watched her every move as Cassie withdrew her lunch money from her pocket.

"I'm good. You heard about Caroline then?" she sighed, her eyes meeting his in determination.

"I did. And I want you to know, I'm here if you want to talk. It must have been a difficult thing for you to do- ignoring her," he said, looking at her with a small, supportive smile on his face.

Cassie blinked in surprise. She had thought that Braxton would lecture her on how to really get back at a person- punch them: a typical man response. But Braxton knew that she _did_ punch people- but only when they got so annoying that she had no choice. Cassie wasn't violent, but punching A-Holes wasn't a crime was it?

But as Braxton started talking about something to do with spoons- he was rather random- Cassie found herself looking for the new guy, and when Braxton wasn't looking, she frowned slightly: Stefan wasn't there. Rather weird wasn't it? But maybe, being new, he had decided to eat lunch by himself instead of mixing with people he didn't know.

A new voice broke her out of her wondering reverie, making her eyes dart up in alert. Nobody ever really bothered them when they were eating lunch- everybody was usually busy doing their own thing during lunch break.

Both pairs of eyes darted up to look at the guy standing next to their table, leaning alarmingly close to Cassie's face.

Oh bugger.

Justin.

And Tyler was behind him.

Cassie's heart started beating in fear: she didn't see Justin in the same way anymore after what had happened in the morning. Tyler, Dick, and Justin hung out together ever since they started high school, but Cassie had thought that Justin was different from them.

And now she had realized her mistake: for he was exactly like them. Justin was a dick, angry and secretly violent- just like Tyler and Dick were. But she could handle Dick and Tyler, they were like little children who needed to be put in line... or perhaps just high school A-Holes...

As her eyes met Justin's- who was hovering over her- fear flowed through her body like nothing she had ever felt before. To see someone who she thought was nice being so violent for the first time... it was terribly scary- and Cassie immediately wished that she had sat _next_ to Braxton instead of opposite him.

She saw Braxton's hand clench itself as Justin's face loomed closer to hers, looking into her eyes with an intensity that made Cassie want to shiver.

"I need to talk. Without an idiot getting in the way," his voice hissed.

Cassie narrowed her eyes despite her fear: she was fed up of being the weak one.

"Go talk to a wall instead of me then," she hissed back.

Justin's face actually leaned back in surprise- he had obviously been expecting her to back away in fear of him.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie spotted Braxton shoot her a triumphant and proud smile. But what brought her mood slightly back down again was that she could also see that Tyler was checking her out from behind Justin. She fought the urge to punch him. Tyler had been after both the Gilberts for years, and no matter how many times Elena and Cassie told him to get lost, he still wouldn't beat it: it didn't even put him off when Cassie kneed him in the crotch so painfully that he cried...

To her ultimate surprise and outright joy, Justin _went away_. He scowled at her, then walked away, Tyler and Dick following him like obedient dogs after their master, Tyler winking at her suggestively.

Incredibly seductive...

_Not._


	7. Europe

Great, _Tanner_- Cassie thought as she made her way to her seventh period class.

History of Europe was the worst class in the school, not because of the subject itself- in fact it was rather interesting- but because Mr. Tanner was the only teacher. He and Cassie got on terribly, mostly due to the fact that Tanner picked on everyone in the class and she hated it. Not because she cared about the people in the class, but still, did he have to be such an ass?

It seemed so, as when Cassie entered the room his face immediately lightened in twisted joy at the thought of torturing her.

Bonnie watched as Cassie entered the room, and immediately knew that they were in for a troubling lesson. Cassie's beautiful face looked bored- the worst mood to be in when in Tanner's class. Bonnie hid herself behind her red hair when she glimpsed Tanner's triumphant face, wary of a shouting match.

But Elena was concerned with other thoughts. Her mind was preoccupied with the boy sitting behind her, ultra-aware that the guy she'd been thinking about all morning was right _there_. Thoughts ran through her head of how she could talk to him, start up a conversation. There was no doubt in her mind about whether he would ignore her or not: all men couldn't resist. The idea that one would be able to was bizarre, and Elena knew that when he saw her, Stefan Salvatore would be _hers_.

"Ah, Gilbert, I'm glad you decided to finally join us," the annoying, lanky man said gleefully.

Cassie fought the urge to snort as she sat in a seat in between Braxton and Elena . As her eyes swept the room slightly, she found that all the men were watching her with puppy love looks on their faces- all except Stefan and Tanner, thank god. But even though, for the past few years anyway, Cassie had gotten used to men staring at her, she felt embarrassed somehow.

She felt Braxton's gaze rather than saw it, and she looked at him. He smiled at her, but she could see the warning clear in his eyes: "Don't get a detention."

Cassie grudgingly understood. The hot chocolate waiting for her at that cafe required a _detention-free_ day, otherwise she couldn't go. It was a tremendous struggle, more than Cassie thought it would have been. Detentions just seemed to... happen to her, and she didn't particularly care about them.

But today she did. Cassie _desperately_ wanted to see her other friends again, mainly the ones that went to different schools, and of course to sip some of that delicious hot chocolate.

Only this lesson to get through without a detention... it would be a struggle, seeing as it was Tanner's class, but hopefully if Cassie kept her mouth shut detentions wouldn't be a problem.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Tanner," Cassie said, gritting her teeth but smiling at the horrid old fart at the front of the room.

Elena looked, shocked, at her sister. Either Cassie was planning something, or she had decided that detentions were bad... no, it had to be the first one. Her pen tapped against the edge of the desk as she stared at her younger sister suspiciously, watching her every move carefully. It wasn't like Cassie to be nice to Tanner, in fact it was _bizarre._

The shocked expression on everyones face matched that of Tanner's, except most didn't look _quite_ as ugly as he did. Caroline's hand had frozen in the act of putting on her lipstick, only one lip baby pink.

Tanner huffed, then continued with the insanely dull lesson. He hurled questions at the students, not even bothering to pause for an answer before moving onto the next one. Every person in the room was on hyper alert, and immediately went red with humiliation whenever Tanner singled them out.

Cassie was literally clenching her fists as he humiliated the class, her pencil once taking the brunt of the anger. When clenching her own fists wasn't enough anymore, the pencil had sadly been in her hand- breaking in two. Braxton had to put a hand on his mouth to stop from laughing while Cassie scowled at him. While he gave her another pencil, Tanner threw another question her way- and out of the corner of her eye, Cassie spotted Elena try her best to capture Stefan's attention. Strangely though, it didn't seem to be working...

"Miss Gilbert, perhaps you could tell us where the Renaissance first originated?"

The smug, self-satisfied look on the weasel-eyed teacher's face indicated that he thought that she would never know the answer. Cassie's mood picked up slightly when she realized that she _did_.

"Florence."

The snotty man raised his eyebrows.

"I'm willing to bet that you don't even know where that is. A place where flowers are sold perhaps?"

Cassie narrowed her eyes, but when Braxton kicked her foot underneath the table, she made her expression clear.

"Italy- the country that looks like a boot. In the center of Italy is Florence, and the Renaissance began there in the late 13th century," Cassie smiled triumphantly.

Tanner blinked, surprised, while Cassie resisted the natural urge to sing in triumph.

The rest of the lesson passed quickly, but both Elena and Cassie's minds were drawn elsewhere: Stefan and hot chocolate were _definitely _not topics of the history of Europe.

Bonnie, meanwhile, had blushed for the entire lesson from the last humiliation caused by Tanner. The new guy had stood up and said that Bonnie was in fact correct in the answer she had hastily grasped from her mind. Tanner had asked what teenagers their age would have been doing at school during the Renaissance, and Bonnie had answered 'football'. The mental kicking she had given herself after that... she was surprised that she hadn't physically kicked herself. At the time her only thought had been 'Football, you idiot? Football?'

But Stefan had saved the day. His heroic action had made Bonnie smile gratefully- but shyly- across the room at his gorgeous face, and Bonnie had sensed Elena's outrage that he had noticed _her_ and not herself. She loved Elena, of course she did, but sometimes she could be really... selfish, without knowing it.

***

"_Woohoooooooo_!" Cassie screamed as she ran outside into the open air. She had survived the entire day without getting detention! And now she could meet her other friends, and the long-desired hot chocolate that had been in her mind for the whole day. _Finally_- freedom, friends, and hot chocolate, what could be better?

Braxton laughed at her, grabbing her hand and running through the car park. The entire school campus was filled with crowding students, but Cassie and Braxton managed to weave their way through them to the main street in town.

**Once again, slightly crap chapter :-( I've had a lot to deal with lately and I'm sorry this chapter wasn't too good, but the next one will be better and up sooner. I've just noticed I sound so gloomy in these author notes... so I'll say something totally cool... (ha)**

**I LOVE CHEESE!! :-D**

**Random, but hey :-)**

**Review please and thank you to everyone who has!**

**And by the way, the pacing might pick up a bit cause I've noticed it's going a tad slow, but I'll sort it :-)**


	8. Trouble

The cafe was practically empty when Cassie and Braxton made it there. It was the best place to come after school, to wind down, and the drinks were fantastic here. A color theme of gold, yellow, and white made the place look calming and inviting- just begging you to sit down and have a coffee. The front of the cafe was where the hot chocolate was served- solid metal with clear cake racks all around the edges.

Their friend Amanda was serving behind the counter, cleaning and putting away glasses- her parents owned the cafe- and when they entered she looked up with a flustered expression. Her black hair was coming out of it's tight ponytail, strands framing her face slightly. Waiters and waitresses scurried around behind her, carrying trays of finished food and drink back into the kitchen- evidently eager to finish work. The rush hour had just finished, and Amanda looked worn out but pleased to see her two friends standing in the doorway waving.

And ecstatic to see Cassie.

"Dudes! Cassie!" she screeched happily, running out from behind the counter to hug them. Her black waitress apron, the large money carrier on her waist, flapped back as she hurried over to her friends.

Amanda's arms wrapped around Cassie's neck and she squeezed her tightly, jumping up and down in her excitement- Cassie happily joining her. Several people in the cafe turned their heads to tut at them, giving each other 'those girls is crazy' looks.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie noticed Braxton rolling his eyes at the two girls. Her vision was slightly clouded by Amanda's hair.

The black haired girl pulled back, grinning like a loony at Cassie then Braxton.

"Come sit! I wanna hear all about France. Any holiday romances?" she squealed, turning round and leading them to an empty table.

The multi-colored chairs in the cafe made the place brighten up, but as usual Braxton had to create a cute fuss over what color of chair he was sitting in. He had his own color code- and even though it was very weird and kind of sad, to the girls it was adorably cute. Yellow meant he was in a good mood, blue for angry, red for a happy mood, and green for average.

He beamed as he sat down in the red chair next to Cassie, smiling at her. Amanda sat down opposite them, signaling to one of the waitresses that she was taking a break.

"So, why are you so happy today?" Cassie asked Braxton while taking off her jacket.

He looked at her, smiling.

"Because you're back."

"Awww!" Cassie said, smiling at him. "Why don't you be my boyfriend, Braxxie? You'll be better than the others."

"Oh, yeah, I heard about Justin, Cassie. I'm so sorry. I put salt in his coffee when he came in this morning," Amanda patted her hand comfortingly, a worried and concerned expression on her face. Neither girl noticed Braxton's blush, or how his head turned the other way to concentrate on his foot.

Cassie smiled sadly, her mind switching back to Justin for a second. When she had found out about Justin and Caroline from Bonnie, she had cried for hours while Elena held her- staying with her until she fell asleep on her older sister's lap, Elena stroking her hair comfortingly. It hadn't been love she felt for Justin, it was the betrayal that had hurt the most. And with Caroline, that was even worse.

The waitress came over, taking their orders, and while Cassie ordered her hot chocolate, Amanda mouthed 'How is she holding up?' in Braxton's direction. Their eyes met over the scribbling pen of the waitress, and Braxton gave a barely noticeable nod.

Amanda gave a sigh of relief, then smiled delightfully at Cassie again.

"So, tell me all about France. How many cute boys were there?"

***

The next day of school past like the first- insanely dull. During the break, free periods, and lunchtime- Cassie found that she didn't care anymore about seeing Justin. His face didn't do much for her, only the teeniest blimp of sadness- more at the way things had turned out like rather than his involvement with Caroline. Anger seemed to have taken a common place in her feeling whenever she saw him. The scowls that she gave him in the halls proved that. His face was constantly a mixture of anger and sadness, the puppy eyes that she had used to love now worn all the time. He was trying his best to win her back, Cassie knew that, but he was doing an extremely crappy job of it. Tyler and Dick continued to throw stares at her whenever she walked by, especially if she was wearing anything short.

Despite Braxton's joyful mood, Cassie felt like a bag of crap. She'd found out that morning, when she'd stormed into Elena's room to verbally assault her hairdryer, that her older sister was going to dump Matt. The shrieking in the house could have been heard by their next-door neighbours. Cassie had been _furious_. But Elena had been dead set on dumping him, her mind filled with thoughts of Stefan, and a plan for the day in her mind. Her sister's eyes had been filled with determination, dead set on her course, unwilling to negotiate.

The day had gotten off to a terrible start- the Matt that Cassie loved to argue with and tease would be broken-hearted by the end of the day. History of Europe was horrid once again, mostly due to her being late because of the crisp throwing competition she had with Braxton and her other friend, Alex. She had won, and her day seemed to brighten slightly- even because of something that silly and pointless.

Cassie heard, from a note that Bonnie sent her during class, that before Tanner had arrived Stefan had had a bit of a... moment with the superior asses that were otherwise named Tyler and Dick. The jocks had made fun of Stefan's slight accent, mocking him at the doorway. Luckily Matt had stepped in before things got too serious.

Oh, _Matt_- Cassie thought suddenly. She had been twiddling her pen with her fingers when she thought of him. Her eyes immediately sought him out, and sadness overwhelmed her. He looked crushed- pretending to be okay and listening to the dull ranting of Tanner, but Cassie could see that he was heartbroken. The muscles under his shirt were strained, back hunched over his book.

After class, Cassie was picking up her books when she heard Elena's voice stand out from the noisy teens still in the classroom.

"Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert, and I'm on the Senior Welcoming Committee and I've been assigned-"

"I'm sorry; I don't have time."

Cassie couldn't believe her ears. _Stefan _was snubbing _Elena_! Practically telling her to eff off.

This had never happened before. _Ever_. In her _life._

Braxton lifted his head, jaw dropped open, and looked to the front of the class. Cassie slowly followed his eyes- still in shock- to see Elena blushing while talking to the big hulk of a hunk in front of her.

Matt, Caroline, and... everyone else was staring at them, entranced by the exchange. If Caroline's smirk got any wider, Cassie would be the first to punch her. Elena was hardly going to do it... and someone had to.

Stefan was evidently trying to get away from the class, but why? Elena wasn't _that_ horrible to look at. He was meant to be groveling at her feet, begging for a date- and he was dodging her, now walking out of the room with Matt. Cassie was shocked. Surely Matt could see that Elena had dumped him for Stefan? But then again, Matt was such a nice guy that he would forgive you for anything.

Elena was left standing alone, looking round the group of people staring at her. Caroline was smirking her ass off, her little friends smiling back- but wary of Cassie and Elena: they were scared of them. Both had the power to take away their friends, spread rumors- they didn't know that Cassie didn't do that, and they didn't need to.

Elena was red with humiliation, and before Cassie could drag her away from the class, her sister walked as quickly as she could out the door.

**Damon coming soon. Ha, that sounds like something you see on a movie poster! **

**Keep reviewing folks! Thankies to all who have, keep it up :-)**


	9. Shaken

Cassie swiftly walked out of the classroom, her right hand lugging a protesting Braxton along with her as Caroline and her minions smirked behind them. Elena was in one hell of a mood; she could tell from the sight of her back among the bustling corridors of school. Elena was as hunched as she could be over her folders, clutching them too tight, obviously trying her best to blend into the crowd and seem unimportant- an unusual thing for Elena to do. She was always the person that everyone wanted to talk to, wanted to be. Elena was Queen Bee and she knew it.

But right now, all Elena wanted was to be alone. However, her attempts to flee the school without anybody noticing were shot down when Cassie caught up with her, somehow managing to get through the crowds of students. By the time she was stood in front of Elena, her arms had acquired quite a few bumps.

Elena's cheeks were tinted with red due to humiliation and embarrassment, her eyes focused on her locker to stop from looking at Cassie.

Braxton sighed, somehow managing to make it not rude. He looked round the corridor as a distraction, not really listening to what the sisters were saying as he shifted his feet..

"You okay?" Cassie asked, frowning. Elena was never usually like this. Well, what made her upset had _never_ happened before. Whenever a comment was made that Elena didn't like, or when someone had a go at her, she was always ready for it. Prepared.

No one could have prepared her for what Stefan just did.

Elena looked at Cassie with a steely expression, but she couldn't keep it up, and it softened. Cassie was so sweet, though fiery, that nobody could be mad at her for too long. And it wasn't necessarily Cassie she was mad at- in fact, she wasn't mad at anyone. Just hurt and humiliated, something that had never happened to her before. Stefan now had a power over her that nobody else possessed, except perhaps Cassie: he could hurt her horribly, perhaps without even knowing it.

Cassie watched her sister through slightly worried eyes, she hadn't seen Elena like this in a long time. She wasn't in _control_, and that was such a strange thing to happen. Her eyes, although not teary, looked aghast and even shocked.

"I just want to be alone Cass. I'll see you at home, okay?" she said, nodding to the door. Cassie didn't miss how Elena's voice was slightly squeaky, as if she were fighting not to cry. The emotion in her voice was there.

But what Cassie felt was, mostly, _shock_. Shock that a boy could do this to Elena. A _boy_. Elena had never cared about a boy enough to feel like that about him, and from what Cassie had heard, they hadn't ever spoken to each other before today. Stefan was absolutely stunning, but Elena would normally get him, then date him, then dump him. But today... Elena looked nervous. A realization hit Cassie and her heart picked up, and if Elena hadn't been upset in front of her, she would have squealed and jumped up and down in joy. Elena could be in love! Finally! And with a nice guy too, ever since he saved Cassie from Justin she had thought that.

Even though she knew Elena was upset, Cassie knew that it was what she wanted.

She nodded, keeping Elena's eyes locked with her own. Then she smiled, trying to make Elena feel more comfortable with telling them to go away. Never in her life had Cassie thought Elena would fall in _love_, or maybe it was something else that happened that made her nervous around Stefan? No, it couldn't be anything else. Elena never got like this.

Cassie leaned forward, putting her arms around Elena in a hug. For a second, Elena turned icy again, pretending to be okay and hating the fact that she looked weak, then hugged Cassie back. In Elena's ear, she whispered; "I'll pick up some ice cream on the way home."

Comfort food. Best parts of a girl's life, drowning their sorrows in chocolate and ice cream while the men drank themselves into oblivion.

"Thanks," Elena gave a small laugh in reply, then pulled back. After motioning for them to scoot, she said a quiet goodbye, slammed her locker shut, then walked out of the school.

As she watched Elena leave, Cassie noticed Justin standing with Tyler and Dick in the corner of the corridor, watching Braxton and herself.

Cassie's eyes widened in shock, and Braxton- who up to that point was looking at her, silently asking with his eyes 'why are we standing here?'- turned to see what she was looking at. The muscles in his back immediately stiffened, and looked at her with a barely-controlled enraged look on his face.

"Want me to go talk to him?" he asked, gritting his teeth. Cassie knew that Braxton _hated _Justin with a passion, a feud ongoing even when she hadn't been dating him. And now, since the whole school knew that Justin had cheated with Caroline, Braxton had to fight every nerve in his body to keep from punching Justin when he came into sight.

"No, he's not worth it. And I know how to deal with him now, anyway," she said to him, then placed her eyes back on Justin. Cassie could see the hope flicker in her ex's eyes, and he straightened up a bit, now completely ignoring Tyler and Dick. But his hopeful, puppy-dog look disappeared when she shot the finger at him. Fiery Cassie was back, and although Braxton smirked, Justin looked murderous.

But it did nothing to her.

"Nice. Where do you wanna go now?" Braxton smiled proudly and triumphantly at her as they turned around, walking toward another exit, away from the one that Justin and his disciples were lingering at.

Cassie grinned back, beaming.

"How about we go and visit Rhonda and Hayley? Find out why they ditched yesterday," she suggested, linking her arm through Braxton's. The girls were meant to be there, but bailed, Cassie having no idea why.

Braxton threw his arm around her, kissing the top of her head as they walked off campus.

***

Ten minutes later, Cassie and Braxton were standing outside Hayley's house, knocking on the door continuously and wondering why nobody was answering. The lights were on, the TV noising quietly.

And yet nobody came.

"Where on earth are they?" Cassie said, feeling both frustrated and worried, knocking on the door harshly.

"Maybe they're in the garden? You know, afternoon drink with the family?" Braxton suggested.

Cassie looked up at the sky, which was now cloudy and rain-threatening, then back at Braxxie.

"Er, no, I don't think so."

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Rhonda's neighbor, Cameron- a shaggy but somehow good-looking twenty year old- strolling down the street, whistling and walking up the porch steps of his house.

"Cameron!" she yelled, making Braxton jump slightly in fright. Cassie giggled, but covered her mouth for a second to silence it, because Braxton was shooting her the most cutest glare she had ever seen. Cameron's head turned, taking in the blonde angel next door, and had to blink several times before croaking: "Yeah?"

"Have you seen Rhonda today?"

Even from that far distance, Cassie could see him gulp.

"Uh, uh, no I - uh - haven't."

"Okay, thanks anyway," Cassie said, disappointed but smiling at him. The boy could practically stand.

Turning back to the door, Cassie reached out to pound the door again when it swung open, revealing a troubled looking Rhonda. Her friend looked horrible, baggy-eyed, disheveled hair, but most of all- haunted eyes. When she saw Cassie on her doorstep, her face cracked and tears poured from her eyes, reaching out to grab Cassie into a tight hug. Braxton stood and watched the two girl, brows furrowed in worry over his distraught friend.

Cassie was confused, but worried to the extreme. What on earth had gotten Rhonda this upset? It must have been something gravely serious, and as Cassie held her friend as she wept, worry clouded her entire mind.

"Rhonda? What on earth's happened?" she drew back from the weeping girl, and held the sides of her arms as she shook.

"My- my granddad was attacked by an animal yesterday, it took basically all the blood from his body. They- they found him down at the- down at Wickery Bridge. The doctors say he might not make it," Rhonda cried, shivering.

**Yep, Rhonda's granddad is the guy that Stefan took blood from down at Wickery Bridge- then Damon came along and took more blood. **

**Thanks for all the reviews, you guys rock! Please keep them coming! :-D**


	10. Secret

**September 6th**

The only thing on Cassie's mind as she got ready for school was Rhonda. Braxton and herself had left her house a few hours after they found out about her granddad, comforting her and telling her that he would be fine. But only Braxton said those things to Rhonda, Cassie just comforted, hugging her friend whenever she needed it. She couldn't lie and say everything would be fine, what was the point in doing that? Everything might not be fine, he might _die._ Although Cassie hated the thought of that, she couldn't say that everything would be fine to Rhonda, she just couldn't. They had said that about her parents, and they weren't okay. They _died,_ they_ left_.

So in the end, the only thing she could do was rub Rhonda's back as she sobbed. Braxton had watched on, feeling completely useless. Their afternoon was meant to be happy, celebrating the end of another school day, and now Rhonda's granddad had been attacked. Who on earth would hurt a defenseless old man like Rhonda's granddad? Who could be that _cruel_? He never hurt anyone, _ever_.

And if that wasn't enough, Elena had started a full-out mission to win Stefan. A plan had formed in her sister's head, one that would ensure her capturing Stefan's heart. The determination in her eyes when she had left the house told Cassie that, and the way Elena dressed- her prettiest clothes, fresh from the shopping malls of Paris. As had shut the door behind them, she looked at Elena as the handle turned up again. Her sister only smiled at her secretively, but coolly, like Elena always was nowadays.

"What?" she said.

Cassie eyes narrowed.

"You're... different. This isn't to do with Stefan is it?" Cassie asked, her sweet voice alerting the hot teenage neighbor, making him look up from where he stood in the porch, watching the two girls as they walked down their pathway.

The previous night, Cassie had pondered over what Elena felt for the new boy. It wasn't like her to act like this, not at all. Whenever she wanted a boy, she got him, then dumped him once he got boring, it was just what she did. But this time... this time it couldn't be more _different_. Stefan wasn't interested, apparently, and Elena had made it her job to get him in the end. But why the sudden shyness and breathlessness around him? It was something new. Did she love him, already? But when she thought of that, Cassie scolded herself. It had only been a few days since the boy came here! Love like that was something that you see in the movies or... anywhere that wasn't Fell's Church!

"I may have a plan, yes. I'll tell you at lunch, sit with us," Elena said, ignoring the next door neighbor, who was openly staring at them. His friend was coming out of the door, asking what the hell he was looking at, then staring at the girls too.

"Why can't you tell me now? I'm your _sister_," Cassie protested, using her well practiced puppy-look. No-one so far could resist it, her brown eyes caused them to melt.

"Don't look at me like that," Elena cried, throwing her hands to her eyes, walking blind, to avoid looking directly at the innocence of her sister.

"Oh come on, Elena, pretty please," Cassie pleaded, teasing her sister now, speeding up after her when she tried in vain to escape.

"You only have to wait a couple of hours! And I'll give you... a cookie?" Elena took her hands away from her face, and looked at Cassie questioningly, a smirk on her lips. She knew that Cassie would say yes.

"Damn, you know me too well. I'll have to change my personality sometime," Cassie sulked, but secretly she was delighted about the cookie.

***

Frances's eyes were blazing, and her cheeks were flushed with color as she approached the three girls at the table.

"Oh, Elena, you've got to hear this!"

Elena smiled at her, polite but not too intimate. Frances ducked her brown head. "I mean... can I join you? I've just heard the wildest thing about Stefan Salvatore.

"Have a seat," Elena said graciously. "But," she added, buttering a roll, "we're not really interested in the news."

"You-?" Frances stared. She looked at Meredith, then Bonnie.

"Alright, spill," a bag plonked down on the table, startling everyone but Elena. Cassie sat in the seat next to her sister, taking the bread that she just made and nibbling at it while Elena scowled.

"Hey, I spent quite a bit of my lunch money to buy this badge," she said in defense, pointing to a badge on her chest that read; '_I did it, but I'm blaming you_.'

Everyone at the table laughed, Elena rolling her eyes while doing so, thinking to herself that the badge matched Cassie's personality perfectly. That was when Cassie noticed the newcomer at the table, and raised her eyebrows in surprise: Elena _never_ let anyone sit at their table. _Ever._

"Hey, Cassie," Frances said, blushing slightly and looking down. Then a thought seemed to occur to the brown haired girl, and she looked from Meredith to Bonnie.

"You guys were joking right?"

"Not at all," Meredith speared a green bean and eyed it thoughtfully. "We have other things on our mind today."

"Exactly," Bonnie said, after a sudden start. "Stefan's old news, you know. Passé." She bent down and rubbed her ankle.

"Er, what?" Cassie said, in complete shock. "Are you serious? You're giving up already?" She gaped at Elena, feeling that, in that moment, she didn't know her. Why give up so soon? Cassie hated giving up, and that trait was passed on to Elena, who sometimes gave up too quickly. And she had said that she had a plan this morning, this couldn't have been it, could it?

Elena looked at her coolly, before turning back to Frances, who had said that during the previous days, she had wanted to know all about him.

"Curiosity," Elena said. "After all, he _is_ a visitor, and I wanted to welcome him to Fell's Church. But of course I have to be loyal to Jean Claude."

"Who the Dickens is Jean Claude?" Cassie exclaimed, eyes widening in confusion and staring at Elena, trying to uncover her secret.

Elena took a photo out of her backpack, being careful to hit Cassie with it softly before turning back to the girls.

"Here he is, standing in front of the cottage where we stayed. Right afterward, he picked me a flower and... well"- she smiled mysteriously- "I shouldn't repeat it."

Under the table, Elena kicked her sister's shin, causing her to gasp and shut up for the time being.

Cassie was so confused she was incapable of speech. That _wasn't_ the cottage they stayed in while in France, and that was their neighbor who was married with kids_._

While she glared at her sister, who was purposefully ignoring her for the moment, the conversation continued. Eventually, listening to Elena's rant after Frances left, she realized that Jean Claude was a cover-up. A way to get Stefan jealous.

Hopefully it would work, Elena was a horrible person to get on the wrong side of. And she still hadn't given Cassie her well-earned cookie yet...

**I think this is my most crap chapter yet, I'm so sorry. I promise the next one will be better! Pinky promise! I used a bit of the dialogue from the book in here, but not too much I think. I hit a MAJOR writer's block, that's why it's so crappy =-(**

**Please review! =-) my new smiles hehe.**


	11. Rebound

"So are you sure about this Jean-Claude thing?"

Cassie was sprawled across Elena's bed, dressed in her pajamas, watching with narrowed eyes as her sister brushed her hair in the mirror. Her head turned, giving Cassie one of her looks, before turning back, her hair slightly frizzy from the smooth strokes of the brush.

"It's _working_. Everyone in school thinks I'm over Stefan," Elena said, confidently in the mirror, head tilting up.

Cassie groaned, pushing her head back into the softness of the bed.

"But _how_ is it working? And you're not over Stefan. Everything about Jean Claude is a lie, and you're happy that you've made everyone think he's real?" she said, staring up at the roof, confused out of her mind.

Elena put down her hairbrush carefully, then sat on the bed next to Cassie. Her eyes met, violet against chocolate, before stroking through Cassie's hair softly with her fingers, a frown on her face.

"You don't understand, Cassie. Nobody does. _I_ don't even understand it," Elena spoke smoothly, but Cassie could detect the hidden confusion underneath- confusion that Elena didn't want to show. She always had to appear strong and know what she wanted, but this time, she didn't.

"I just, I just-"

"You want him," Cassie said simply, sighing and sitting up onto her hands. Elena's lips turned up in a small smile- lying to Cassie had never been easy, and she always saw through everything anyway. Even Elena herself couldn't explain why she wanted Stefan so badly, she had never felt this way over a boy before. But he was a challenge, something that she had to work for, and that seemed to entice her. His green eyes were so gorgeous, and his wavy, soft-looking hair could make girls fall to their knees...

"I want him. And I'm-"

"-not going to rest till you get him, yeah, yeah," Cassie finished, making Elena laugh shortly. "He is rather heroic though, saving me from Justin."

That made Elena's eyes, which had been looking out of the window, look sharply to hers again. When she spoke, her question was more like a command- a soldier demanding answers.

"When did this happen?"

"Frowning causes lines you know," Cassie touched Elena's frowning eyebrows before continuing, "The first day of school. Justin was being a donkey as always, he got a bit... violent," Elena's growl/gasp could be heard from the next room, "and Stefan was there to tell him to get lost."

Elena stared at Cassie through her eyelashes, watching as her sister's gaze flickered all around the room- anywhere but Elena. She was feeling guilty about not having told Elena about what happened with Stefan, as her older sister was Stefan-obsessed.

There was silence in the room for half a minute, Elena staring at Cassie and Cassie looking everywhere but at her. Finally, when Elena spoke, she could detect the hurt lurking underneath, though her sister spoke calmly but coolly, and also anger mixed with worry.

"Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because I want to cut Justin out of my life! I don't want anything more to do with him, _ever_. And I felt like, if I told you, then I was letting him win," she erupted, standing up swiftly to pace the room. Clearing her mind of Justin wasn't easy, considering that each time she saw him all she could think about was his betrayal. She walked over to Elena's dressing table and stared down at everything on there to avoid looking at her.

Elena watched Cassie carefully, the frown slowly disappearing from her face and replaced with a look of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Cassie, I should have thought," she said quietly.

Cassie turned around, managing a small, detached smile.

"It's okay, you didn't know. I should have told you though."

Elena smiled, but the expression on her face told Cassie that her mind was somewhere else.

"What is it?"

"What was, er, Stefan like?" Elena asked hesitantly, looking down from Cassie's face, then looking up again.

"What? Oh, he was heroic. God knows what Justin would've done if he hadn't shown up. And then in Biology, he was embarrassed when I thanked him again and- wait," she stopped, and looked at Elena with a shocked and horrified expression on her face, "you're more interested in _Stefan_ than me getting _attacked_ by Justin?"

"No, Cassie, of course I-" but Cassie could see some guilt on her face.

"I can't believe you would sink that low, Elena," she sighed angrily, plonking herself down onto the bed again.

"I want to go out," she said suddenly.

"What?! You're _not _going out. We have to stay inside, remember? After what happened to Rhonda's granddad?" Elena cried furiously, grabbing Cassie's arm when she tried to get up. "And anyway, you're in your_ pyjamas_."

"I'll get dressed. And you know that the paranoia about that attack has passed, so you can't stop me," Cassie replied, still angry over Elena's insensitivity.

"Just, please, Cassie, don't go out. For me. I have a really bad feeling about it," Elena pleaded, and Cassie was shocked at her urgency.

"Fine, I won't go out," she said slowly, her voice showing her confusion. She sat down next to Elena, who had now crossed her legs on the bed. "What's up?"

"What?"

"What's got you so against going outside?"

"Because-" Elena began, but then she sighed, looking away and trying to find the right words, "to get to Braxton's, and I know that's where you'd go, you'd have to go past the cemetery."

"Oh, Elena, there's been no more attacks, is that what you're worried about?"

"It's not just that. On the day that the the old man was attacked, I had gone to see Mom and Dad. Bonnie and Meredith were there. And there was something about the place... and I don't mean just the attack."

***

The next day, Elena finally broke Matt's heart to full extent.

Cassie was walking through the halls with Braxton after first period, laughing about something to do with bananas. The halls were bustling with lots of students and teachers, jocks and cheerleaders flirting with each other against the walls. The past few days had been hectic, and now Cassie expected them to calm down. Elena had been announced Homecoming Queen the day before, and an extremely large number of the guys in the school said that Cassie should have entered because they had wanted _her_ to win.

Elena hadn't talked that much to her this morning, but Cassie knew it wasn't about the Homecoming Queen thing- she wasn't even that bothered about it, which was not like Elena. Ordinarily, she would have coolly thanked everyone who said congratulations, but today she had just nodded. Cassie had a suspicion that the continuing silence was due to Stefan.

And she was proved to be right.

Because as Braxton took folders out of his locker, ranting about how much homework he had, Cassie heard Elena's voice clearly, even through the bustling corridor.

"...wanted you to get him to come to the Homecoming Dance next week," Elena was saying.

The smile on Cassie's face disappeared slowly as she turned and saw Matt's odd looking expression. Oh, _Matt_- Cassie thought sadly. You don't deserve any of this.

"You just want him at the dance?" she heard Matt ask. How he could be so nice about this was a complete mystery to her. If Elena were a guy and dumped Cassie for another girl, she would be giving his private area a right kicking.

"All right, I'm pretty sure he'll be there. And Elena... there really isn't anybody but you I want to take."

Cassie's heart was breaking at the sight of Matt's face. How could Elena do this to such a nice guy? And Matt _still _wanted to take Elena to the dance, after _all_ she'd done.

Don't do this to him, Elena. Don't do this.

"All right," Elena said, after pausing," and, well, thank you."

Christ, Elena, how can you do this? Braxton had turned around, pausing in a confused mid-sentence at why Cassie was staring in Elena's direction, but one he realized what was happening, he was silent as the exchange finished up.

"Don't thank me, Elena. It's nothing... really," and with that Matt turned to walk down the hall.

Elena was staring after him with a confused expression, and Cassie fought the urge to poke her roughly in the ribs as she ran to catch up with Matt. He's taking you to the dance because he loves you, you doorknob. And he said it was nothing because that's what it means to you... nothing.

Cassie patted Braxton on his arm, with the hidden message 'wait a minute', before rushing off after Matt. His blonde head was among the crowd of the students, but unlike the rest, it was bent over.

She dashed through them to catch him up, grabbing his arm. He turned around, confused and slightly alarmed. When he saw it was Cassie, he gave a sad smile. And when he spoke, he sounded completely _drained_.

"Hey."

"Hey," Cassie replied, watching him carefully. "I saw what happened back there," she pointed over her shoulder to where Elena and Matt had once stood. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

Cassie narrowed her eyes at him, giving him a pointed look.

"Matthew Honeycutt, I know when you're upset. We used to share a sand pit. Elena's too... absorbed to notice how much she's hurting everyone around her."

Matt gave a small laugh, but it sounded half-hearted and pained.

"I don't know why she's doing this to you, you don't deserve it," Cassie sighed sadly, looking up at him with her sad brown eyes.

"Oh, don't do that look, Cassie, it's too cute. Besides, I'm coping," Matt said, touching her chin affectionately and smiling at her- but it still looked strained.

Looking at him, Cassie decided that actions were better than words. And besides, there were no words that she could say to Matt that could make him feel better.

She stepped forward, ignoring the fact that the corridors were emptying fast and they would probably be late to their next class, and wrapped her arms around Matt's neck. He immediately put his arms around her, giving her a tight hug. Matt smelled nice, Cassie found, something she'd never noticed before. Sweet and warm. Like Matt's personality.

"Justin's an idiot," he said into her hair. Cassie froze slightly at the mention of Justin, and Matt pulled back a little, arms still around each other but face to face.

"He is, Cassie," he said seriously, looking at her urgently, wanting her to believe him.

And she noticed something. Everyone else who told Cassie how sorry they were, they didn't seem _half _as serious as Matt was.

"You're the sweetest girl ever, and you deserve the best," he added, placing his forehead against hers for a second.

Cassie smiled, her brown eyes warm, and pulled back, giving Matt a quick kiss on the cheek.

As she walked away, she turned around, walking backwards for a few steps as she called out Matt's name.

"Yeah?" he turned around as he walked down the opposite end of the hall.

"If you ever need a rebound girl..." Cassie pointed both of her index fingers at herself, smiling teasingly.

Matt laughed, happiness finally reaching his whole face.

"You'll be the only one I turn to."

**Long chapter, by my usual lengths anyway! Please review! =-)**


	12. Style

**I know this chapter took longer to get up, but I had to find the _perfect_ dress for Cassie. Took me a while, and even now I would make small changes to it, but hey. Anyways, here's the next chapter!**

"Honestly, that dress looks amazing. Justin will be drooling and mourning," Bonnie chirped happily as she twisted Elena's hair into a curl, standing on her tip-toes for a second in her excitement.

Cassie sighed, holding the dress against her and twirling the skirt with her fingers. Looking up at Elena, who was sitting in the dressing table stool, she raised her eyebrows in helplessness, holding the dress to her chest.

"I can't believe it's Homecoming already, we feels like we only got back," she sighed at the end, and sat on the edge of the bed, watching Meredith and Bonnie do up Elena's hair. "Serves Justin right to be mourning, but I really don't want to see his face tonight, I'll only want to smash it in."

Bonnie giggled while Elena shot Cassie a warning look, the hidden unspoken words of 'don't you dare' in her eyes.

"I can't promise anything. And if any guy touches my butt tonight I will-" Cassie threatened, pointing a finger to emphasize how much it annoyed her.

Elena quickly interrupted her by asking Bonnie to pass her a glass of water, making Cassie scowl as she walked toward the bathroom.

For the past few weeks, Justin had tried to talk to her non-stop, continuously stopping her in the hall and pleading to talk with her. To be honest with herself, Cassie wanted to know why he kept trying- what was the point? He had slept with her oldest ex-friend/enemy, so why bother? It was obvious that she was never going to forgive him.

Matt had been sweet over the past few weeks. Every time Justin opened his mouth, pausing in the middle of the corridor, he had put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed comfortingly. He'd been a real rock, even through his heartbreak over Elena. And Justin had been... Justin. Always trying to get Cassie's attention, her phone never stopped ringing because of all his calls- so much so that she was even considering changing her phone number. Endless messages, begging her to let him explain.

After weeks of ignoring him, why didn't he get the message?

The dress on, Cassie sighed and stood straight in the mirror, looking straight into her eyes with a determined look on her face. Her fingers touch her curled hair in some places, her long fringe covering a portion of her forehead and one eye. Dark brown eyeshadow with a touch of glitter was framing her eyes, along with a bit of black eyeliner, matching the dress. Her skin looked much tanned against the gorgeous, multi-colored fabric of the dress, and her lightly tanned face was beautifully made up with light pink lip gloss on her mouth.

While Cassie was in the bathroom, Elena was thinking over the night. Stefan would be at the dance, he'll dance with me and then he'll be mine- she kept reassuring herself. She'd waited so long- so long for him to be hers once and for all, and now the night had come that she could finally speak to him properly. Meredith was too busy doing up her hair to notice Elena's determined expression, and Bonnie was too concentrated on her makeup.

Tonight, he'll be _mine_.

Hopefully Justin wouldn't be there?- Cassie thought as she breathed out carefully. Maybe he'll be getting drunk with Tyler and his other 'friends' somewhere in the town? His presence was becoming increasingly irritating, and besides, she had been looking forward to this dance since before they were in _France_- which was rather a long time ago. The dress was so beautiful- though slightly more revealing than she would have liked- and if Justin wouldn't leave her the heck alone that night it would feel as if she had... wasted it.

Cassie's dress was a mixture of- in her opinion- the most beautiful colors in the world. The neckline dipped passed the usual lengths that they stopped at, but she was glad that her chest was still mostly fully covered. Even the length of the dress was gorgeous too- down to just above her knees, where it floated around like a butterfly's wings.

After giving herself the check-over in the mirror, she gave herself a determined-yet-shaky nod before stepping out of the bathroom.

"Cassie! Oh my god, you look gorgeous!" Bonnie screeched, beaming so brightly it bordered on insane.

"You think?" Cassie asked nervously, looking down at the bottom of the dress and plucking at it slightly with her fingers.

Elena, who up to that point had been sitting at the dressing table with a smile on her face, got up and walked over to her sister, taking her shoulders in her hands.

"You look stunning," she smiled, something in her eyes that Cassie couldn't quite figure out, but she just smiled in return.

"The boys will be here any second," Meredith stated from across the room, smiling at Cassie- slightly coolly, as Meredith always was. "We'd best go downstairs."

"So, why didn't you let another boy take you, Cassie?" Bonnie asked for the third time that night as they walked down the stairs together. Their hands clutched at the rail as they stepped their way down, Meredith and Elena going on slightly further while Cassie and Bonnie paused at the bottom of the stairs.

"Because, Braxton finds it difficult to ask out a guy, so it's only right we should go together. And anyway, he's the only guy that won't drool looking Down. My. Cleavage," Cassie explained, saying the last few words separately and simply, giving Bonnie a pointed look and making her laugh before walking into the living room together.

"Oh, you girls all look lovely," Aunt Judith fluttered, kissing Elena and Cassie, before Margaret wanted her own cuddle from each of them.

"I like your dress," she said into Cassie's ear, earning her a kiss on the forehead.

Uncle Robert was looking slightly embarrassed and red-faced when Cassie looked up. Had he been looking down her dress? She didn't particularly like Uncle Robert, he was trying to be a father to all three of them, which didn't work for her at all. Nobody could replaced her father, and Robert was acting like he could. The only reason Cassie kept her mouth shut about her dislike for him, was that Aunt Judith and Margaret were happy.

"Beautiful and doomed," Bonnie chirped, a smile on her face.

"Whose doomed?" Cassie raised her eyebrows.

"Nobody's doomed," Aunt Judith sent her a disapproving look, a look that riled Cassie slightly.

"What did I do?" she asked, slightly angry. Her temper was one thing that she couldn't control.

Luckily the doorbell went at that exact moment, and the girls all said their goodbyes as they walked towards the front door. Matt was on the doorstep with Braxton and Raymond, all their eyes widening at the sight of the girls.

"Woah," Matt muttered, looking Cassie up and down.

"Put your eyes back in, Matthew," Cassie scolded, though smiling slightly, as she hopped down the step to Braxton.

"What do you think?"

It took him a moment to fashion a response, which puzzled her, but then she figured that she'd never really been seen by him in a dress that her cleavage was noticeable in.

"Beautiful," he finally answered, deep brown eyes still wide, as he looked back up at her face. She looked at him questioningly, smiling.

"You do," he insisted, smiling back. It's such a pity he's gay, Cassie thought again as she noticed how _hunky_ he looked in a suit.

"Ready to get in the car?" Raymond asked everyone, eyes eating up the sight of each girl in their dresses.

Perv. I _saw_ you looking at our chests, Cassie scowled as they walked toward the car- managing to whack him on the head as they got in the car. She felt satisfied when she heard his pained 'ouch' through the darkness of the night.

**There's a link to Cassie's dress on my profile. =-) Please review and thanks again to all who have! Xx**


	13. Heart

**Yeah, I know this took longer to get up, but I was panicking about exams! Anyway, panic over now! I have to wait till AUGUST to get the results, how mean is that? Anyway, if anybody else had exams I wish you the best of luck! Here's Chapter 13, enjoy. Xx**

When they arrived at the school, music was blaring out of the open doors, the principal standing outside to greet everyone. Elena kept looking coolly out of the window while in the car, as if her mind was on something- or someone- else. Cassie had looked her sister's way once or twice, and realized that it was probably _Stefan_ she was thinking about.

The previous night, while sitting on Elena's bed, she had revealed her plan for the dance to get Stefan to Cassie. Her face had been alive with excitement as she went through the stages of her 'genius' plan, but Cassie had had her doubts. Stefan seemed too... classy for a high school dance, was that the word? He just didn't seem to fit amongst the jocks like the other guys did- but not in a bad way.

It was noticeable that everyone was feeling awkward tonight, even to Cassie, who rarely noticed those things. The atmosphere radiating from Elena wasn't exactly welcoming. Braxton had no idea about any atmosphere, and chatted away like a happy little child to everyone. Cassie just sighed and looked out the window, leaning against the door. They were all squashed inside Matt's car, and she was half-sitting on Braxton's lap, but at least it was better than _Raymond or Ed. _They didn't seem to realize that her eyes were _north_ from her chest.

But that wasn't the only thing on her mind. All the past weeks, Cassie had put up a facade around everyone- pretending to not care about Justin. Before that, it had been easy, but somehow that just... disappeared. She was a sweet and giggly girl, or so everyone told her, but despite those 'good' things, Cassie hated that she wasn't strong like Elena. Crying was natural to her- especially when any bees or animals die.

And now she'd have to face Justin _all_ night, have to cope with seeing him drool over other girls. The hurt still sat in her heart like a tiny child refusing to go to sleep and staying up instead, not going away despite her friends support that he was a bad one.

Braxton's sister, Katy, came up to them and wanted to talk with him, making him break off from the group and staying outside. His eyes looked apologetic as she led him away, almost as if he was on a leash. Somehow, as he walked into the private darkness with his sister, Cassie felt a stir of fear inside her. It felt as if something would happen tonight, maybe even something bad...

Once inside the dance, colorful lights blazed their way around the room. A disco ball glittered in the center of the roof as if it were the heart of the dance. People were coming up to them, crowding them as soon as they came through the doors to the auditorium, all complimenting their dresses and hair. Elena looked distracted- not interested in the compliments showering over them, the way she normally would have been. Her eyes were flicking over the tops of the heads of the crowd, searching for something. That something was, presumably, Stefan.

And then Justin appeared with Tyler, standing close to them and staring. Luckily Matt took her arm and glared at Justin, leading her away from them toward the refreshment table.

Glad to be away from Justin, Cassie looked over to their left and spotted Stefan. His clothes were more sharp than the other boys', making him seem different than them- but different in a sexy way. His sunglasses were off, exposing his gorgeous green eyes to the world, glittering away like the disco ball in the center of the room.

Not wanting to hurt Matt by telling Elena, she quickly looked away and turned her attention to the couples coming up to them.

After a few minutes though, Matt was looking over in another direction while Elena looked amused by the attention they were attracting. He'd spotted Stefan, and now Elena had too.

"Now what? The hog-tying?" Matt said, jaw clenched tightly. I'm so sorry, Matt, Cassie thought.

"No. I'm going to ask him to dance, that's all. I'll wait until we've danced first, if you want," Elena said to him, but she was barely paying attention- all she could see was Stefan.

The added 'If you want' must've been like a kick in the teeth to Matt. Why couldn't she have just left that part out?- Cassie thought. What he _wants_, Elena- what he _really_ wants- is for you to forget Stefan and realize that Matt loves you unconditionally, and even willing to forgive your selfishness.

Barely waiting for Matt to shake his head- which, predictably, he did- Elena began walking toward Stefan.

After watching her go, Cassie felt sadness creep into her eyes, and moved them toward Matt. He was, too, watching Elena go, but in a different way than she had: in longing.

"Stop looking at me like that, Cassie. I don't need your pity," he said, recovering and looking straight ahead, jaw set again.

"I'm not pitying you, I just hate the way she's treating you."

"I'm over it."

There was a moment of awkwardness as they both watched the people on the dance floor.

"I'll be back in a minute, I'm gonna go look for Braxton," she blushed, placing her paper cup of punch on the table and squeezing Matt's arm.

But just as she was leaving, a hand went around her elbow. Cassie whipped round, fearing it was Justin, but it was Matt- with an apologetic and guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry for that, Cassie. None of this is your fault."

"That's okay, Matt. Have I ever told you how much of a gentleman you are sometimes?" Cassie smiled, showing her white teeth.

"Sometimes?" Matt laughed, and she was glad that she'd managed to put a smile back on his face.

"You annoy the poop out of the rest of the time," she giggled with him.

Instead of replying, he pulled her into a tight hug.

"Having fun, are we?"

Cassie tensed at the voice- that _horrid_ voice that she'd been trying to avoid for the past few weeks. It sounded smooth, but she could detect the cool anger hidden beneath.

Matt sort of growled in her ear, something she'd never heard before. He sounded like, well, a _man_ when he did that. She felt, in that moment, immensely glad that Justin had not came over when she was alone.

Matt released her from the hug, stepping back with a determined look on his face, braced like a soldier- determined.

Cassie still tried to keep close to Matt as she turned around. Justin was standing there, his eyes cold and angry- though Cassie had no idea why. It wasn't as if _she_ had slept with Caroline, was it?

"What do you want?" Matt said through clenched teeth. His face was lowered, and when Cassie looked at him, his blue eyes were hard and cold. Well, that was something she'd never thought she'd see in Matt...

But aside from that, Cassie felt scared around Justin. Every time she'd seen him at school, he would try and talk to her, plead to her. But she'd just walked by, avoiding his gaze, sometimes running to get away from him. Sometimes that made her angry- someone strong like Elena wouldn't do that. But, nowadays with Justin, she just couldn't. At first it had been easy to deal with him- by being rude to him- but underneath, that really wasn't Cassie at all, maybe that's why it had failed.

Justin was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt, even managing to look a little casual.

"I want to talk to Cassie," Justin replied, just as cold and angry.

"Not going to happen."

Their eyes continued to be locked for a long minute, and Cassie couldn't stop her eyes from darting to one then the other. If she hadn't been so scared, it would've looked amusing- they both had the same expression of anger.

"I'm going to find Braxton," she mumbled nervously, then quickly darted out of the room, hoping to God that a fight didn't break out. Justin looked as if he was away to follow her, but Matt kept him away from her.

When she left the auditorium and into the crisp night air, Cassie breathed in deeply, leaning against the brick wall of the school. Dressed-up teenagers were giggling outside, some smoking and leaning on the black railing of the entrance to the school. Luckily, nobody bothered her.

After staying there for a few minutes, Cassie remembered why she had come out in the first place, and went off to look for Braxton. Hopefully Katy was just asking about something _other_ than wanting a lift home- as she normally did. Braxton's house was a good half hour away from the school by car, which added up to an hour of Cassie being dateless.

In her dress, she felt a bit dressed-up to be looking around a school, but it didn't stop her.

However, looking around the school front grounds, there was no sign of Braxton- it was as if he'd vanished into thin air. The place where Katy had dragged him was now empty, only a few gum wrappers in their place. Unless they'd magically morphed themselves into gum wrappers, they must've left. Or maybe Braxton couldn't have been bothered to stay, although she doubted that- he _had_ promised.

As she made her way back into the auditorium, walking up the ramp the principle had had constructed for the people in wheelchairs, something caught her eye- causing her to pause. A large crow was sitting there on the railing now, just... watching her. Even in the darkening moonlight, she could see that it had rainbow colors in its feathers. The head of the crow was tilted to the left, looking at her through its beady black eye.


	14. Anger

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! You've made my life pick up! =-) Please continue to give me your reviews and opinions, pretty please? Here's Chapter 14, enjoy. Xx**

After looking for Braxton in the auditorium, and having no luck again, she looked for Elena. Maybe she could give a good reason as to why she'd dumped Matt so horribly- Cassie felt too strange asking. But looking at Matt's saddened face, standing with Ed in the corner of the room, she knew that it couldn't wait any longer.

On her way to where she knew Elena would be- the bathroom- she touched Matt's arm on her way over and told him she'd be back in a minute. He looked surprised, possibly because of her expression- as if she was actually going to have an argument with someone, which she possibly was.

She_ hated _arguments.

The bathroom was packed when Cassie walked in, and she just managed to squeeze past the compressed bodies as she saw the silky blonde head of Elena. Perfume and hairspray dominated the breathing space, making the clogged room feel as if there was no oxygen left.

Grabbing onto the sink, almost as if to secure her place in the room, she turned to Elena with a questioning look. But Elena wasn't looking at her, only at her reflection in the mirror. Her face was flushed, with eyes that looked a little too bright.

"What's wrong?" Cassie frowned. People bumped her from behind, but she noticed that they were leaving.

"Stefan came to the dance with Caroline," Bonnie whispered behind the back of her hand, wary of Elena's reaction.

"What?" Cassie hissed, then back at Elena in the mirror. Stefan was so nice, why would he go for a tart like Caroline?

"Maybe it isn't such a bad thing after all," Bonnie said quietly. "I mean, you haven't thought about anything else but him in weeks. Nearly a month. And so maybe it's just for the best, and you can move on to other things now, instead of... well, chasing him."

Elena's eyes flashed with something, perhaps a mix of anger and hurt.

"Thank you so much for your support."

"Now, Elena," Meredith began. "She isn't trying to hurt you, she just thinks-"

"And I suppose you and Cassie think so, too? Well, that's fine. I'll just go out and find some other things to move on to. Like some other best friends," and with that, Elena gave Cassie a cold look and flounced out of the bathroom.

The three girls who remained were left open-mouthed and in shock. All Cassie could think about in that moment was how horrid Elena had become, perhaps even worse than _Caroline_- and that was _bad_. But what she had just said to Meredith and Bonnie... and the look that she'd given Cassie...

It was as if she hated them.

Already, Cassie could feel the tears come on. The thought of Elena being angry with her- after everything they'd done for each other. And after everything Meredith and Bonnie had done for their best friend, and this was what Elena did.

Somehow, she managed to push the tears back. Her and Elena had had fights before, but she'd never thought that her sister would hate her- like the look conveyed...

"Well, what do we do now?" Bonnie asked, even though she tried to keep her voice level, Cassie could sense the hurt.

Meredith was silent- like she always was. Her face was tight with control, her voice cool like ice when she spoke.

"We try to enjoy the rest of the dance, then see what she's like tomorrow."

Cassie nodded, then breathed in and out deeply to make sure the tears would keep back.

"You okay? The look she gave you was worse than the words she said to us," Meredith asked, reaching out to stroke Cassie's arm comfortingly. Even though Meredith was cool, though a great friend, with everyone- Cassie just seemed to melt her heart, the same as she had when they were little. After several dropped ice creams and tears, Meredith could never be as cool with Cassie as everyone else.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I don't know why I'm making such a fuss, I should be comforting you guys," she laughed nervously.

"It's not like she's not said anything like this before, is it?" Bonnie smiled grimly, looking as if her mind was somewhere else.

When they all walked back in the auditorium, they all went their separate ways. Meredith went back to Ed, who was waiting for her with Matt. Bonnie's attitude picked up slightly when she saw that Raymond was waiting for her on the dancefloor.

Suddenly, Cassie felt very alone. As she looked around the room, afraid of what she might find, at first she couldn't see Justin. Sighing in relief, she looked around for Matt- finding him standing alone in the corner of the room. His stare was blank and disapproving, making Cassie wonder what on earth he was looking at. Following his gaze, she gasped on the spot- causing some boys to give her weird looks.

Elena was standing with Tyler and his bunch of drunks. He was smooching at her neck, looking lecherously down her dress. Justin stood with Vickie, but while she was talking excitedly to him about something, he was staring in Cassie's direction. But for once, that was the least of her problems. She was angry at Elena- it felt like a betrayal. Pain touched her heart, and she internally kicked herself for being so sensitive to everything.

How could Elena do this- especially to _Matt? _He'd done everything for her: being a gentleman about the break-up, taking her to the dance, putting up with her being a selfish cow, and_ this_ was how she repayed him? What kind of person would do something like this?

Cassie herself felt pain that Elena was so insensitive to _her _feelings too. She'd _known_ about the situation with Justin, and had supported her. Maybe that was all part of her act...

Cassie wanted nothing more than to cry in that moment. But first she had to let Matt know that she was there for him.

Walking across to him was _not_ easy. Dancing people kept getting in the way, dresses swishing against her legs. His face just seemed to stay the seem as she approached, not noticing her at all. His brows were furrowed, making him look older. He looked so _lost_ and disappointed, as if something dear to him had run away- which it probably had.

Instead of saying anything- no words would be comforting enough- she placed her right hand on his elbow and squeezed. He didn't say anything, but just looked at her with a grim smile before looking back at Elena.

"I suppose I have to get used to this," he finally managed to get out after a few minutes.

Cassie just stayed silent- she couldn't find anything comforting to say to that. He _would_ have to get used to it on some level, but the adaption would be hard.

And so there they were- the only two sad people in the room, it seemed. But when Cassie looked around the room, her eyes fell on Stefan- who was standing next to Caroline looking... detached from everything. He didn't blend in with the scene around them somehow. Or maybe what Caroline was saying made him so bored that his mind wandered off to its own distant little land- like Cassie's sometimes did.

But it didn't look a happy place his mind was going to.

Even though Stefan was unknowingly taking Elena away from Matt, Cassie was still grateful to him for saving her from Justin. There were no words to describe how scared she had been in that moment in the hallway- it was the most horrible thing to happen on her first day of school.

And Justin was staring at her right then, looking almost pleading over to rim of his punch cup. Trying to ignore him wasn't easy, as suddenly it seemed as if there was nowhere to look. Caroline was just across the dancefloor, reminding Cassie of the betrayal. And anyway, could there have been more girls?

Averting her gaze from her eyes, she looked over at Matt again. Unfortunately, he was still looking at Elena with severe disappointment in his features.

"How can she do this?" Matt said in a low voice. He was obviously trying to show no emotion through it, but some still leaked through.

"I know," Cassie said sympathetically. Elena would be getting some glares after the dance tonight... "Want to dance?"

Matt looked at her in surprise. Either he hadn't actually noticed that she was there, or he was surprised that she wanted to dance with him.

"Are you sure you want to dance with a loner like me?" he smirked, and although it still looked kind of grim, at least it was a start.

She smiled sweetly, looking him up and down.

"You'll do," she shrugged jokingly, then nudged him with her elbow.

He laughed, and at last she could see a bit of the old Matt glimmer back in his eyes again.

"Then we shall dance," he took her arm like a gentleman and led her over onto the dancefloor. A slow dance was already in motion, and when he turned around to face her, an amused glint was in his eyes.

"Going to kiss me at the end of this dance?"

Cassie giggled, blushing, although she knew that would never happen.

Matt wrapped an arm around her waist and took her hand, and they danced.

All around them, couples were kissing non-stop. Between Matt and Cassie though, it was obviously just a dance between friends.

"You're very annoying, you know," Cassie said randomly.

Matt laughed, although he sounded a little confused.

"Thank you. You're very sweet."

"That's more of an insult," she scowled into his blazer.

"How?"

"I hate being 'sweet', as people say. I wish I was strong like Elena," she sighed.

"Cassie, you're lovely just the way you are. One day, one guy's gonna really love you and be able to keep it in his pants. And you_ are _strong: you got through your parents dying, remember?" Matt said, stroking her hair in comfort.

"Yeah, but that was horrible. I cried buckets. nobody could make me stop, and Elena coped better than I did."

"You still coped."

They fell silent after that- not a romantic silence, but a friendly silence. On the dancefloor, Justin was out of sight- his regretful face blocked by the dancing couples. For the first time in the night, she wasn't worried about him. It was Braxton she was worried about. Where _is_ he?- Cassie found herself pleading for him in her mind.

The dance ended, every girl lifting her head up to give her man a last snog. Instead of that, Cassie just lifted her head, sighed, then stepped away.

"I'll never get a boyfriend again," she stated, looking down with a sigh.

"Don't be stupid," was all he said, but it was filled with ferociousness.

"I'm not. So, what do you want to do now?" she beamed at him, crossing her hands like a little girl and beaming up at him.

"You are. Shall we go get some-" Matt started, but something over her head caught his eye and an expression of worry and confusion crossed his features. The sudden change caused Cassie to look behind her, mouth nearly pouting in confusion.

Elena was walking out the door, laughing, with Tyler's arms wrapped around her, his mouth nuzzling at her neck. Justin was looking over at Cassie with his arms crossed over his chest, but she couldn't make out his expression. Her smile from talking to Matt was slowly disappearing from her face. His eyes weren't pleading, but they weren't mean either.

He turned his back on her, walking out of the auditorium after Tyler, Elena, and Vickie- but Cassie was barely interested. All she could think about was Elena. Was she taking him home with her? Were they going to...?

The thought made Cassie's stomach turn. And not fully because of the betrayal- partly that Tyler was so unattractive. But to leave with _Justin_ too, who Elena knew to have hurt Cassie deeply- she'd_ been _there throughout all the pain.


	15. Harm

**Thank you so much for all the reviews! This is the longest chapter I've ever written, yay! Please review, and here's Chapter 15, enjoy. Xx**

Bonnie was still on the dancefloor with Raymond, eyes closed and swaying to the rythym. Meredith stood by the door, waving Matt and Cassie over with one hand and Bonnie with the other.

Annoyed, she and Raymond made their way over to the group forming near the door.

"Elena just left," Meredith said.

"It's a free country," Bonnie said, while Cassie indifferently shrugged her shoulders to hide her upset. She felt a little woozy, but blamed the flashing lights and shock of finding Elena leaving with Tyler. Some _dance_ this had turned out to be...

"She left with Tyler Smallwood," Meredith said. "Matt, are you sure you didn't hear where they were going?"

Matt shook his head, looking lost.

"I'd say that she deserves whatever happens- but it's my fault too, in a way," he said faintly. His eyes were focused on the floor from a distance away, looking as though his mind was on something else, but Cassie knew it wasn't.

"Matt, in no way is this your fault. If anybody's to blame, it's me: I'm the one who made her the most angry tonight," she looked down, guilt and sadness washing over her in waves.

"Don't you dare, Cassie," Meredith said. Such simple, short words, but they were said with such ferociousness, urging her to stop blaming herself.

"We ought to go after her," Matt concluded, nodding his head. Cassie spotted that he looked more determined than his previous bleakness, as if something was driving him forward. Or maybe he was just being Matt, and thinking of what would be the right thing to do.

"Leave the _dance?_" Bonnie said, chin jutting out, stubborn like a child. Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. Cassie missed the words that Meredith mouthed at Bonnie- her eyes were becoming a bit tired for some reason. I want a cuddle from Elena- she thought wildly, then realized that that's all she _did _want: a hug from Elena, reassuring her that she didn't hate her one bit, then to go to her bed and fall into a relaxing sleep, problem free.

"I don't know how we'll find her," Meredith said, "but we've got to try."

"Bonnie,_ you _don't know where she is, do you?" she sounded hesitant, as if scared to anger Bonnie.

"What? No. or course not; I've been dancing. You've heard of that, haven't you: what you go to a dance for?"

It occured to Cassie, through her tiredness and worry, that Bonnie was angry too. Angry at the way Elena had spoken to them, and quite rightly too. But they had to put that to the back of their minds for now, they just _had _to.

"You and Ray stay here," Matt ordered Ed. "If she comes back, tell her we're out looking." An air of determination now surrounded him, trying it's best to rub off on everyone else's gloomy feelings. From the way they were talking about finding Elena, it sounded more like they were trying to find a runaway kitten.

"And if we're going, we'd better go now," Bonnie said spitefully, still fuming over having to leave her beloved dance. After turning round though, she ran into a still dark blazer, it's owner unmoving.

"Well, excuse me," she huffed, her already bad mood worsened. The person she had bumped into was none other than Stefan Salvatore. His eyes looked faraway, almost like the expression Cassie had spotted him wearing earlier. Except this one had something else in it that she couldn't make out as she looked up at him.

When his eyes met hers, she quickly gave him an apologetic smile on behalf of Bonnie, but it seemed that he barely noticed it. Cassie didn't even care that much, which was strange to her. But Elena was gone, with Tyler and his bad lot. Nothing could divide her attention from that.

In Matt's car, on their way up the road toward the church, nobody spoke. The atmosphere buzzed with tension, worry, and even some anger- mainly Bonnie, but Cassie could sense the worry that lurked beneath Bonnie's crossed arms and annoyed eyes. All four of them kept looking out of the slightly dirty windows, searching for something, _anything_, that could lead them to Elena. But after they passed the very last deep green tree of the road, nothing had been spotted. How on earth were they going to find her?- Cassie thought, tears beginning to cloud her vision as she sat back heavily into the battered seat.

Elena could be anywhere. And there was a lot of 'anywhere' in the town.

"Wait- stop here," Bonnie suddenly said. "I thought I saw something."

Cassie sat up in her seat, hoping to God that it was Elena. Her heart began pounding as she looked in the direction that everyone else was staring in, leaning forward in her seat to get a better view. Matt's Ford slowed steadily at the side of the road, running over brambles.

"Oh, my God," Meredith said. "It's Vickie Bennet."

Before Cassie could sigh back into her seat in frustration and worry, she noticed why Meredith sounded so shocked. Her hair fell in front of her face as she leaned forward again, eyes wide with confusion.

Vickie was stumbling towards them, hair disheveled and face dirty. All she wore was her thin white slip, and even _that_ was frayed. Smudges of dirt were on her face, clothes, even her _lips_. Her usually alive and giggly eyes were now glassy and dazed looking.

_She looks like a zombie_- Cassie thought, opening her car door and walking up to Vickie warily. Somehow, she was feeling for tired and woozy than she had been at the dance, what was going on? Putting it down to shock, she pushed the thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on Vickie.

She'd never seen anyone look like this, and even though she'd never exactly liked Vickie, she couldn't stop herself from trying to comfort her.

Meredith, with longer legs, was in front of Vickie in a shorter time than Cassie was. Her eyes contained both worry and shock, but somehow the dark haired girl managed to put them aside.

"Vickie, are you all right? What happened to you?" she quickly asked. There was no response from Vickie, except a long moan that made Cassie the most scared she'd ever been in her life.

Then suddenly, the glassy look faded from the dazed girl's eyes, and she came back to life. Her dirt clogged fingernails dug into Meredith arms, clutching the taller girl tightly.

"Get out of here," Vickie said intensely. Her voice sounded thick, as if she'd bitten her tongue. There were scratches on her bare arms, as if a cat had suddenly gone wild. "All of you- get out of here, it's coming."

Cassie stood in front of the girl, who still clutched Meredith as if she was going to disappear. If somebody had hurt Vickie like this, then what would stop them from doing it to Elena? Oh God, please let Elena be safe, I don't know what I'd do without her...

"What's coming? Vickie, where is Elena?" Meredith asked, sounding like the old Meredith- firm and calm, but to cover the panic underneath.

"Get out now," was all Vickie said. She said the last word like a word from a song, drawing out the vowel. Cassie closed the distance between them, and put her arm around Vickie's shoulders. The girl was cold and bony, back rigid in fear, but she didn't move away from Cassie.

Meredith took her gaze away from Vickie for a second, looking down the road from where Vickie had come. Was she pondering whether to go and look or go home?

Whatever was going through her mind, she seemed to come to a decision.

"We'll take you away, but you have to tell us what's happened. Bonnie, give me your wrap. She's freezing."

"She's hurt," Matt said grimly. "And she's in shock or something. The question is, where are the others? Vickie, was Elena with you?"

"Matt, can't you at least wait a second? She's upset," Cassie complained, shooting him a disapproving look. He shot back an annoyed glare, then concentrated on Vickie again.

Vickie let out racks of sobs, putting her hands up quickly to cover her face and tears. Cassie gave Matt a 'now look what you've done' glare, which he just ignored. Bonnie's wrap was now neatly thrown over Vickie's shoulders, but the girl's temperature did not increase.

"No... Dick," she sobbed. Her voice still sounded worryingly thick, and her face winced whenever she spoke. "We were in the church... it was horrible. It came... like mist all around. Dark mist. And eyes. I saw it's eyes in the dark there, burning. They burnt me..."

Cassie's eyes grew wide with slightly drowsy horror. What Vickie was saying didn't make sense, but whatever it was, it was something so horrid that it caused her to walk around the forest only in her slip. No girl would do that. Unless you were Caroline, of course.

Her eyes looked away from Vickie and to the left, where movement caught her eye.

Up at the just visible old ruined church, something was happening.

She stepped back from the dazed girl, removing her arm from around her shoulders.

"I'm going to clear space for her in the car," she told Matt, shaking in her fear. As she stepped down toward the car again, Matt reached out and squeezed her arm comfortingly.

Pretending to clear a space for Vickie, she watched the group as they worried together. With one final glance, she quickly scurried into the woods.

Why am I so tired?- Cassie thought as she softly tread over twigs and leaves, snapping them accidently beneath her light feet. Nobody else is tired, so why am I? Hopefully they were still all too fussed with Vickie to notice that she'd gone yet.

When she was younger, the church had used to scare her. She and Elena's father had used to have to hold her tight whenever they went by the graveyard. Cassie remembered snuggling her face tight into his neck- the safest place in the world. I could use some of that safety now- she thought sadly, tears suddenly coming to her eyes again. She had_ always_ been a daddy's girl, even when she was just born. It wasn't as if she hadn't loved her mother dearly, but there was always a special connection with her father.

The twigs grew larger as she hurried closer to the church, feeling extremely light-headed. The conjoined graveyard looked eery at night- as if something could jump out at her at any moment. Cassie thought of Vickie, with her scratch marks and dirty body, and somehow managed to suppress a shudder.

It was scary. Terrifying, in fact, for her to be alone. It was too _silent_. Her head throbbed in sudden pain, making her lose her step and stumble slightly, clutching her head.

Keep going, Cassie thought, keep going for Elena.

Then suddenly, her body became too weak. The light feeling in her head was worryingly strong, and throbbing pain came with it. Her heartbeat became a little too slow, and she collapsed onto the ground, next to some yellow flowers.

What's going on?- she thought worryingly. What's happening to me? Am I dying? Her hands clutched her head, desperately trying to stop unconsciousness from taking over.

The fear in Cassie was so large that she felt it could explode. It felt like the mist that Vickie had described, burning her. Collapsed on the ground, she lay on her side, desperate for someone to come. She tried to scream, but no sound would come from her throat. Her mind couldn't form a coherent thought, nothing was making sense.

Dirt was in her mouth, Cassie could taste it's bitterness. The once innocent-yet-slightly-creepy graveyard was now turning into a gruesome place where darkness lurked, just waiting to pounce.

Then, through the dark fog of her mind and blurry vision, she saw movement. Something was coming toward her. Oh please help me, please...

Her eyes closed, unable to resist the darkness any longer.

"I had to do this Cassie. You wouldn't talk to me, so I spiked your drink. I knew you would follow Elena up here. I only wanted you to _talk_ to me," a sorrow voice said, sounding far away. Fingers stroked her blonde hair softly, and then she was out.

But not before she recognized the sad voice talking to her.

Justin.


	16. Fog

**I know it's been a little longer than normal, but I was updating my Twilight story 'Mio Cuore'. You should give it a read- it's about Brady imprinting. **

**Anyway, this story has nothing to do with that. =-) Please review, pretty please? Xx**

Cassie was being carried somewhere, she could feel it. Somehow, through her unconscious mind, she could feel the arms around her and whispers in her ear. Her thoughts were groggy, unable to form coherently. Opening her eyes did no good. They seemed to stick shut, unmoving no matter how hard her efforts were. Everything felt like a dream to her, not remembering anything, and the grogginess in her mind didn't feel natural. It was as if a force was pushing her down.

Somewhere far away, someone put her down, and placed a kiss on her forehead. Was it Elena? Her unconscious mind was improving, managing to think questions again.

Gradually, her jumbled thoughts became clearer and less groggy. Her heavy eyelids managed to open a crack.

_Where am I? What happened?-_ her first faint thoughts were. The grogginess kept pushing down on her, trying to get her back to sleep again, but she fought against it.

Her vision was blurred when she opened her eyes, almost as if a long-sighted person lost their glasses. Then, gradually and after a few blinks, everything looked normal. Including the boys sitting in front of her on a tomb, his eyes staring into hers. His body was leaning towards her.

_Oh god- __Justin._

Everything suddenly poured back into her mind. What had happened... what Justin had admitted to. She'd drank all of that punch that he'd spiked- how much of that drug did he put in?

Cassie had never been so scared in her life. When her parents had died, yes, that was scary, but it was nothing like this at all. At least then she had been safe with her Aunt and Elena, but now she was in real danger. From her ex- who had spiked her drink.

She had never been scared of Justin before Caroline. He was a totally different person. How could he do something like this? Was he going to rape her?

At that thought, she let out a whimper, and tried to move away from him and curl up into a ball. "I'm not going to hurt you Cassie," he said, looking slightly hurt and very sad himself.

She didn't even listen to him, just curled up in a ball and shuffled backwards with her hands to get as far away from him as possible. Little rocks the size of grains stuck to her hands, irritating her skin, but she didn't stop. Once her back hit the wall of the church, she drew her knees up to her chest, clasping them with her arms tight, and tried not to whimper. Tears gathered in her eyes as she stared fearfully at him. _I want to go home. I want my family. _

"The only reason I did this is because you wouldn't talk to me. I just need to explain what happened that night with me and Caroline," he rushed, holding his hands out as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Cassie didn't say anything, just stared at him. Every thought was groggy but yet more recognizable in her mind. It was incredibly scary in the ruined church at night, but now even more so. The moonlight shone onto Justin's face, highlighting him, while Cassie sat in the dark corner. Her eyes were begging her to close and let the overpowering darkness take her, but she didn't want to feel that vulnerable again.

Her heart thumped in her chest, mentally begging for someone to come and save her. But hardly anybody came up here. Especially at night.

She blinked, and tears went down her face. If Justin spiked her drink, then what happened after he'd finished talking? _What's to stop him from raping you?-_ her mind threw at her. She let out another whimper.

"Cassie. I'm not going to hurt you," he said, leaning forward and staring into her wide eyes. He looked sincere, but she couldn't believe him. His black blazer and black pants contrasted with the white of his shirt. She could barely see his black clothing, only the white- which made him more scary.

_Oh god, somebody please help me._

"Right, I'll just start explaining. The day that... it happened, was after we won the game one Friday night. There was an after-party at somebody's house, and Tyler snuck out some alcohol from his dad and shared it around. Caroline took advantage of me being drunk- you know how she's always had it in for you. But Cassie, I really do love you. I know I don't deserve you, but I love you. You're so sweet and cute, and I love the way you're not like Elena," he said. Cassie couldn't make out the expression on his face, but could tell that he was remorseful.

She didn't care what he had to say, all she could feel was fear. _He drugged her... why would you drug a person you supposedly loved?_

"Believe me, I didn't want to spike your drink, but Tyler came up with the idea and... and... I just needed to talk to you," he continued desperately. "He nicked them out of a policeman's pockets when one went to talk to his dad. He put a little in Elena's drink, too."

At that, Cassie froze, and her eyes widened. She'd stopped crying, and up until that point had just sat there in fear. Elena... I need to warn Elena. Oh god, I'm so sorry. All thoughts of her own welfare vanished. If Tyler had hurt Elena, then her world would crumble to pieces.

"He hasn't done anything to her. Well, much. That Salvatore creep found her before he could do... anything," Justin grimaced. But was he grimacing of the thought of Elena being hurt... or of the rape being interrupted?

"And you_ let_ him?" Cassie looked at him in disgust. How could he do such a thing? And to her big_ sister? _"You were going to _let_ him _rape_ my sister?"

"Not rape. Just... have a little fun," he looked down at his feet. In shame?

"You're sick," Cassie croaked, clutching her knees closer to her chest. "You're_ sick_, Justin."

"You wouldn't _talk_ to me!" he looked up, hurt and anger in his expression once again. Cassie felt a ripple of fear run through her again, but she pushed it away and let her anger and disgust take over.

"I wouldn't talk to you because there's nothing you can say that would make me feel better! You let someone _spike_ my sister's drink. She hasn't done _anything_ to you!" Cassie cried, fresh hot tears streaming down her face. It was _desperately_ hard work to fight the darkness, and she knew she couldn't hang on much longer.

"_Not done anything to me?_ She's been keeping me away from you, nosing into our business and telling me that I'll never get you back and I never will!" he growled, nearly shaking.

Cassie tried to shuffle backward even more into the wall, putting her head into her knees and whimpering into them. She had had no idea that Elena had been saying those things to him, but that wasn't what she was thinking about. The need to go home was beginning to get to her. It was so scary, being up here, alone, with a threatening guy who she had once sobbed over.

"Please don't cry, Cassie. I just wanted to explain what happened with Caroline. And I didn't expect the stuff I have you to make you this drowsy- I guess it's cause you're smaller than other girls," he said softly, somehow endearing.

"You just drugged... me..." Cassie started, but somehow found her eyelids dropping shut. The fog was descending on her like a black blanket. It was scary, having no control over her own body- she could feel her heart pounding. She could feel her head lean backwards and slightly to the left as the strength went out of her. One part of her, one far away distant part, was glad that she didn't have to listen to Justin anymore. The other part, though, was fighting to get back to consciousness, terrified of what Justin could do to her when she was unconscious.

But the control over her own mind was fading fast. The now familiar feeling of her thoughts becoming incoherent returned. She could hear Justin's faraway voice and his hurried fingers on her hair again, then felt herself fall into the darkness.


	17. Defending

**I know it's been a long time, but I got very preoccupied. And I didn't update this story sooner because that meant that I had to pause one of my other stories 'Mio Cuore'. I just started writing it again and I didn't want to disappoint the readers of that story. =-)**

**Anyway, here you go! This chapter is written in Third Person. Please review! Xx**

**Third Person POV**

Justin carried Cassie in his arms, occasionally darting anxious glances down at her face as he walked down the sidewalk of Maple Street. Thankfully there were no observers on the street watching except a large crow perched on a fence. Its beady black eye watched Justin as he walked past it, but he was too preoccupied over Cassie to notice- she was going frighteningly pale. With her soft skin and light golden hair over his right arm like silk, she looked smaller and more delicate than all the other girls he'd known. That's what he'd loved about her when they'd been dating. Elena was indeed gorgeous, but she seemed to have a harder personality and confident walk. Cassie's beauty was much softer, with a sweet and funny personality and a rockin' body to match.

And he'd been an idiot to let her go.

As he walked up the pathway of Cassie's house, he could hear heated voices coming from within.

**Inside the House**

"What do you mean 'you lost her'?" Elena's voice hardened coolly.

They were standing in the living room and Matt, Meredith and Bonnie wouldn't meet her eyes. They were obviously ashamed and worried for Cassie's safety, but in that moment, she could concentrate on nothing but anger directed at the people who'd lost her in the first place.

Matt's muscles were as stiffened and rigid as a plank of wood. His face, along with everyone elses in the room, was pale. His normally bright blue eyes were still as darkened and hollow as when she had first entered the room. The only person who was focused in the room was Stefan. He stood just behind Elena in the doorway, eyes focused on Matt. Of course, he's met Cassie before- Elena remembered. She'd certainly made an impression, like she always did. And now she's out there, alone, possibly in the woods. A wave of fury went through her. How could they _lose _her younger sister?

Just as she was away to start yelling- which wasn't usually her thing, but with Cassie in danger, this was an exception- Matt started talking.

"We were all concentrating on Vickie, and then a minute later we looked round and she was gone," Matt said solemnly. Elena huffed angrily, crossing her arms. "She looked a bit faint in the car, quite white, so we thought she might have came back here and or went back to the party."

"Why would she do that? You _know _her Matt, you should have _known_ better! She wouldn't have just left, she would have told you! If anything happens to her, I'll never forgive any of you," she finished, looking away from him. She would never even forgive herself if anything happened to her sister. Something hurting her annoying, cute sister, all because Elena was too preoccupied making Stefan jealous.

"It's not _all _our fault, we were a bit busy worrying over you, trying to comfort a hysterical Vickie, and _trying_ to figure out what was best to do!" Meredith said coolly, looking up at Elena and narrowing her eyes in challenge.

"Maybe we should look in the woods first. That's where you lost track of her, isn't it?" Stefan asked quietly. Elena felt glad that he was taking such an interest in her sister's safety, but in that current moment she wanted to hit something.

"Yes. I'm sorry, Elena," Matt croaked, not meeting her eyes. He looked like a young boy being forced to apologize.

Elena said nothing.

The doorbell rang. Aunt Judith jumped.

"That might be the police," she hurried past Stefan and Elena.

It wasn't the police.

"Oh, my," Aunt Judith cried, a suddenly pale hand shooting to cover her mouth.

"Erm, I think she fell," Justin's voice sounded shaky.

Wondering what on Earth was going on, Elena looked over her Aunt's shoulder. She gasped herself and started shaking.

Cassie was in Justin's arms, looking small and snug, but she didn't look at all comfortable. She was too pale, too lifeless.

"What happened to her? You did something, didn't you?" Elena attacked Justin, barging past her Aunt without any other thought but to check her sister. Her heartbeat was a bit slow, but steady nevertheless.

"I didn't do anything, I found her like this," Justin defended himself, obviously trying not to wrench Cassie away from Elena's fingers.

"Bring her in, should we call a Doctor?" Aunt Judith fretted, hands waving around her face.

Nobody answered her. As Justin stepped into the house, his eyes met Stefans, who still stood in the doorway with concerned and shocked eyes. But now those green eyes were focused on Justin with undisguised suspicion, a slight frown on his face.

Elena didn't ask him why he was looking at Justin like that, she was too preoccupied with Cassie. Justin averted his eyes from Stefan's, looking somehow nervous, and placed Cassie on the couch. Her gorgeous dress was a little muddy and ruffled- very nearly ruined.

"What happened?" she knelt down next to Cassie and felt her head with her suddenly shaking hand.

"I'll call Mary!" Bonnie jumped up, rushing for the armchair to find her purse.

As Meredith watched worriedly from the corner, Matt knelt next to Elena, placing a blanket over Cassie and taking her hand to measure her pulse. Was he checking to see if she was alive? His own hand was pale and he looked so worried you'd think it were his child on the couch.

Stefan stood aside from the group, watching Justin carefully. Elena frowned and stood up, placing a hand on his arm. He looked down at her softly.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Why is Cassie like this?"

Stefan looked very much like he wanted to tell her, but the doorbell rang.

"That'll be Mary, she said she was only round the corner!" Bonnie jumped once again as she hurried to get the door.

When Mary came in, there was a sense of relief mixed with the worry in the atmosphere in the room- finally, someone who could help. She immediately shooed Matt away an inch or two as she opened up her bag.

"Her eyes are slightly dilated, has she taken any drugs?" Mary asked, removing a light from Cassie's eyes and looking up at them all.

Everyone was suddenly aghast. Matt looked ready to punch something.

"Of course she hasn't!" Elena snapped. "She can't even kill spiders, why would she do something like _drugs?_"

"Perhaps not intentionally, did she leave her drink unattended at any point tonight?" Mary continued, not bothered by everyone's fury in the slightest and picking up Cassie's pulse.

Everyone was about to say no when they suddenly realized she had. Out of the corner of her eye, Elena could see Justin shift his weight from foot to foot.

"Why would somebody spike Cassie's drink?" Aunt Judith exclaimed, looking horrified.

"Justin, why are you looking so nervous?" Elena growled. She'd officially never been so furious in her entire life.

"Because I want to find out who did this to her or if she's ill. I didn't do anything!" Justin held his slightly shaky hands up, but he didn't look entirely confident.

"Maybe so, but I think we should look in your pockets just to be sure," Stefan said menacingly, eyes narrowed as they focused on Justin's.

Justin looked nervous. And with that, everyone was on him.

Matt walked toward him, the most furious expression on his face. Elena had never seen him so angry, or Meredith glaring so badly.

"If you haven't done anything then you've got nothing to hide then, have you?" Matt growled, reaching into Justin's pocket.


	18. Author Note

**I'm sorry for the long wait, but I need to concentrate on my school work in order to get into University. I think some people on Fanfiction need to understand that writers on here _do_ have more important things to pay attention to in their lives and CANNOT write and update all the time. To those of you who are waiting patiently, thank you very much for understanding! :) **

**At the moment, I simply do not have the time to write Fanfiction, but I will when my summer holidays start in a few weeks. I AM sorry for not updating, but I DO need alone time and study time like everyone else! Studying has to take the top spot, and I'm not sorry for that because that is simply in the life of a teenager whether we like it or not. **

**The next update will be a well-awaited chapter! :)**

**Thanks to all of you who are being patient, it is very appreciated! To others who are calling me 'evil' and such – maybe you should, and I only mean this in a semi-rude way, GET A LIFE. If you're a writer on Fanfiction with multiple stories, you will know what I mean!**


	19. Trauma

**Just a little bit, smallish chapter, but I didn't know what else to put in it. Oh well, I hope you're all okay! On exam leave at the moment – writing helps me relax. It's currently 12.30am here... best be getting to sleep, goodnight and please review! Xx**

A small packet of pills were clutched in Cassie's hand.

With no expression but concentration, she looked down at the tiny white drug, waiting for something to pop into her head to explain why she had deserved this.

Justin was prosecuted, but being best friend's with the Mayor's son had its benefits, and he was likely to be let go with no charges against him. At best, he would stay away from her, but that was only out of fear for what Matt would do to him if he so much as breathed in her direction.

Setting the tiny packet on her nightstand, Cassie leaned back into her pillow from where she sat up in bed. Aunt Judith had insisted that she remain in bed, despite the attack having been two days ago. However, she'd drift in and out of consciousness – Justin had given her a heavy dose of the drug, even for an adult woman too large, let alone Cassie's petite form and stomach.

_I can hardly breath in here _– Cassie thought, closing her eyes and leaning her head back with a frown on her face. She hadn't seen Elena since the night of the dance, nor Matt or Bonnie, and being stuck her in her pyjama boxers and one of her father's old shirts was not helping her loneliness.

Elena had apparently visited her bedroom, as when she drifted into consciousness for a small time, there were magazines that only Elena would have placed on her bed. There was a 'Get Well Soon' card from Bonnie, signed with so many kisses that they almost covered the signatures of basically everyone at school. Even Tyler had signed the card – which felt a bit like a kick in the teeth as he had been the one to suggest Justin give her the drug in the first place, and also gave it to him.

She occasionally got up to pace her room, feeling it soothing on her feet to have carpet beneath her toes instead of lying down all day, but she couldn't stay in this room much longer.

Her eyes opened again when she heard her door nudge open, and when she saw who it was, her eyes lit up in delight. The person at the door's eyes lit up with shock and happiness.

Cassie threw her covers off, and ran to him as he stepped in the door to greet her. She jumped on him, and he held her there easily, clutched tightly against his chest and her legs around his waist.

Matt laughed, and swung her around in glee. Just seeing one of her friends made her want to jump with joy, and he pressed his face into her neck.

"Cassie!"

A whirl of red curls came into Cassie's sight as she looked up from Matt's hair, before another pair of arms flew around her and soft lips kissed her hair excitedly. Bonnie.

From the door, Cassie spied Stefan. He was standing, observing with his forest-green eyes, with a slight smile on his face while watching the people before him.

"Guys, give her some space to breathe," Elena said, appearing on the left side of Stefan with a happy smirk on her face.

No-one paid attention to her words, and Elena stepped forward to hug and kiss her sister from where she was in Matt's strong arms.

"I missed you, Cassie," Matt's very muffled, sheepishly voice said.

Cassie smiled, resting her cheek against his blonde hair.

"I missed you too, Matt. I missed all of you. Even you, Stevan," she smiled at the awkward boy still standing outside her doorway. He gave her a genuine smile in response.

Elena stopped cuddling her sister, savouring her movement after days of speaking to her in a coma-like state, and stepped back. Bonnie did the same, and smiled over at Elena before rushing downstairs to phone Meredith and tell her that Cassie was finally awake.

Matt didn't let Cassie go, but instead walked downstairs with her, her perfect petite form as light as a feather to him, to put her on the phone with Meredith.

"Well, that's a relief," Elena smiled at Stefan, who didn't look quite so awkward anymore, but back to his serious nature. She could feel him drawing away from her, the trauma with Cassie was over and she was now well, and that meant that Elena couldn't emotionally connect with him anymore. They had bonded over Cassie's condition, Elena taking comfort in him, but now she feared that he would go back to his old ways and put a barricade on his heart.


	20. Important Author Note

I've decided to delete this story, and begin from Vampire Diaries - The Struggle! I realized that the only reason I'm writer-blocked is because there's not much Damon to work on in the first book! Stay tuned! :)

xxxx


End file.
